


Sea Swept

by AshMish111



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: All Human AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Little Mermaid AU, Little Mermaid Elements, Sesskag - Freeform, inukik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 26,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25826983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshMish111/pseuds/AshMish111
Summary: A Mermaid's Dream; A Prince's Hope. He was not the one she left it all behind for, but he would he the one she wanted to stay for. Little Mermaid AU, with a twist! SessKag
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Sesshoumaru, Inu no Taishou/Izayoi, InuYasha/Kikyou (InuYasha)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue: A Tale of Two Princes

**Author's Note:**

> I am not pretending this is original, but I am pretending it is cute. 
> 
> T.W.: mention of death in childbirth

**Prologue: A Tale of Two Princes**

Once upon a time there was a just and noble king. The king married a radiant princess from a faraway kingdom, making her his queen and securing a powerful alliance. Together, they produced a strong, healthy heir. Not long after, the queen died, leaving behind her young son to be raised by nannies and nurse maids while his father ruled the kingdom.

Several years later, the king remarried. She was a lady of humble birth, and their marriage was one of love and affection instead of advantage. The queen quickly gave birth to a son. This time, the queen lived.

The first son watched from afar as his brother was doted on by both parents and praised for every small accomplishment. It raked against his little heart, and he pushed himself relentlessly to be the best and earn his father's approval.

That approval never came.

His life revolved around lessons and training with very little time to play or frivolous attention from his father. All he had to fill his days were mounting expectations and empty desires for affection.

Under these conditions, the first son grew to be somber and taciturn, earning him a reputation of being cold and aloof.

The second son thrived in his home life. He was open and kind, the favorite of his father's subjects with no end of friends and admirers. This further soured the first son's reputation, and when he came of age, his father had to search far and wide to secure an advantageous marriage for him. But a marriage contract was secured, and though the first son's heart wilted to be so tied to a woman he didn't know or love, he nonetheless stepped up to his duty without complaint.

Soon, a daughter was born to him.

As it is want to do, history repeated itself and death stole away the first son's wife, leaving him alone with his newborn daughter.

At first sight of her he knew he'd never be able to cast her aside and threw himself into raising her, delighting in her sweet disposition and finding contentment in the strong bond between them.

But his brother's coming of age rapidly approached, and he knew there would be no trouble securing a good match with his charming personality. With that would come the end of his mourning period, and hope kindled in his heart that he might be able to find some happiness for himself at last.

That just like his father before him, he might he able... to find love.


	2. The Wind Blown Prince

**Chapter1: The Wind Blown Prince**

Kagome looked around her secret grotto and watched the ocean filtered moonlight glint off of her beloved collection of human trinkets. They lined each and every crevice of this hidden cave, and she was immensely proud of them and the bits of knowledge and mystery they brought from the world above. She loved them all so much, but where once looking at them made her feel connected to life above the waves, more and more she just felt adrift.

It was getting harder and harder to find her contentment here among her treasures. With every passing day she longed for more, but with each slip up she made of her secret desires her father locked her down tighter, his fear of the unknown above driving him to unreasonable levels of overprotection. It was stifling, and after her last trip to the surface she knew he'd be even worse.

Flounder, her best friend in the world, cuddled into her side to offer as much comfort as he could. He was a skittish little thing, but he gave her more support and encouragement than just about anyone else where her fascination with humans was concerned and she would never be able to convey how thankful she was for him and his willingness to follow her on her excursions no matter how scared they made him. She patted the scales on his head and gave him a sad smile.

"Kagome, are you okay?"

She sighed, rubbing her arms and staring up through the opening in the ceiling of her grotto, watching the flickers of moonlight dance with the flow of the ocean. She longed to be out in that moonlight.

"I just... wish I could make him understand."

She picked up her hunting bag and pulled out the dinglehopper she'd found earlier, inspecting it more closely than she had previously. It had four tongs to drag through hair and pick apart knots, and an intricate scrollwork etched into the handle. she held it up and let the scattered bits of lights catch on its metallic surface, mesmerized by the way it lit up, almost blinking with each flicker of light.

"I don't get it. How can a world that makes such wonderful things... be as bad as he says it is? Look at all these things. How could evil make such things?"

Flounder just stared, eyes big and sad but unsure how to respond. He knew she felt out of place and lost down here, that she felt more and more called to the air and the sun and the land. But he didn't know how to comfort her or reassure her, didn't know how to make it better. She may love that place above water, but she was a _mermaid_. And mermaids couldn't live there anymore than _he_ could live there... could they?

He wondered if he should be worried she might try.

A shadow passed overhead, blocking all the light and shrouding them in darkness.

Kagome startled at the sudden inkiness and looked up. The shadow finished its pass over the top opening of the grotto and the light was back almost as soon as it had gone. She couldn't fathom what might be large enough to block so much light; she didn't usually see many whales or sharks in such a busy part of the kingdom.

"What do you suppose..."

She swam upward without a thought, intent on investigating, ignoring Sebastian's cries for her to return.

When she breached the water's surface, a large ship was sailing slowly away. She could hear music and laughing, and great, loud lights flew from the sides and burst in the sky, opening wide like anemones before fading in a shower of sparkles.

Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. She'd never seen anything like it; too close to be stars, but too far to reach, in all the colors she'd ever imagined.

She grinned and dove forward, swimming straight for the ship, once again ignoring Sebastian's warnings to stop.

Once she reached the side of the ship, she climbed up and found a perch to sit on to observe. She'd never had an opportunity to be this close to any human, and there were so many on this ship! It was full of men- sailors, laughing and hollering, some playing loud instruments and jumping around. This looked like a party.

And in the center was the most breathtaking being she'd ever beheld.

_'Oh my_

...'

He had long silver hair pulled up in a trailing tail on the top of his head, and his eyes were the same color as the gold coins she'd found in a few of the sunken ships she'd explored.

But it was his smile that truly ensnared her. Wide and bright and open, lighting his whole face and making her heart twist.

He laughed with the other men and played along on a small instrument hanging from his belt, and every move he made had bewitched her.

"Prince Inuyasha, it's time for your gift!"

"Myoga, you old codger! You didn't have to get me anything."

The old man sniffed and straightened his jacket which had fallen slightly askew when the prince had slapped him on the shoulder.

"I know. But you only come of age once. We wanted to show our deep affection for our most beloved prince. Happy Birthday!"

He pulled a sheet covering a large statue carved in Inuyasha's exact likeness. The rest of the party cheered, but the prince rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Oh wow. Uh... thanks old man, this is... Uh. Well it's really somethin..."

"Yes, I commissioned it myself! Of course, I had hoped it would be a wedding or at least an engagement present."

"Oh come one Myoga, I've only _just_ come of age. You can't expect me to already have a bride lined up." Inuyasha waved him off and walked over to stand in front of the side of the ship Kagome was watching from. She ducked down to avoid being seen, and her heart raced at the close proximity she now shared with the handsome prince.

' _His name is... Inuyasha..._ '

The old man Myoga followed but stopped several paces behind, ringing his hands and shuffling his feet nervously.

"Of course you have plenty of time. It's just that your brother announced his own engagement at his coming of age and-"

"Oh don't start about Sesshomaru." Prince Inuyasha interrupted, keeping his gaze trained on the dark, far off horizon where the night sky met the ocean. "I know he's much more dutiful than I am, but I don't want to marry someone just to seal an alliance like he did. I want what my father and mother have, I want to marry for love. Until I find that, I'll remain unattached. And that's final."

The quiet that followed was tense. It was made worse to Kagome by just how close Inuyasha was standing to her hiding spot. The awkwardness stretched on and Kagome fidgeted, trying not to draw any attention to herself but having trouble holding completely still. She met Sebastian's eyes where he rested on her tail. He silently pleaded with her to leave as soon as possible. Flounder circled nervously below, and Scuttle, who'd shown up a short while before, sounded a screeching alarm that harshly shattered the thick silence. All the men aboard the ship turned abruptly, and then a cacophony of noise exploded all at once.

"Hurricane coming!"

As those on the ship leapt into action, Kagome pushed off the side of the ship and fell back to the water below, swimming as fast as she could away from the ship and the soon to be storm.

But halted when lightening struck the ship and a fire began to consume it. The men aboard began filling smaller boats and lowering them to the water, but horror filled Kagome's heart when she watched the handsome prince fall overboard and be swallowed by the wind whipped waves.

"No child! We must go, now!"

Once again, she ignored Sebastian's panicked cries and swam straight for the burning wreckage. Under the water she spun quickly in all directions before catching the flash of his pale hair. Moving quickly, she caught him under his arms and pulled him up, up, up to breach the surface of the surface of the waves again. It would be quicker to swim underwater, but she knew humans could only breath the dry air. He was already unconscious, she wouldn't do anything to risk his life further.

It was cumbersome work trying to swim him to shore and make sure his face stayed above water. He was solid and heavy, and they were a good distance from land. It took much longer than she would have liked and the sun was already in the sky when she found a good, safe place to leave him. She could see the castle he must live in nearby, but it was a private enough piece of shoreline that she wasn't risking her own safety.

She laid him out carefully, hoping she was helping to make him as comfortable as possible. She gazed at his face, soft and relaxed in sleep, and her heart pained that he may still be in danger.

"Is he... dead?"

"It's hard to say." Scuttle answered, hopping around and lifting one of the prince's feet to press his ear to it. "Oh no... I can't make out a heart beat."

The prince coughed quietly and then took a deep breath, releasing it in a whoosh. Steady, measured breathing followed and Kagome wanted to rejoice.

"No look! He's breathing! He's so beautiful..."

She couldn't help but sing to him, a song of joy and healing her mother had taught her when she'd been small.

His eyelids flickered, but she heard a voice and quickly made her way back into the safety of the ocean.

She stayed close by, hidden behind a small cluster of rock jutting out of the sea. Inuyasha woke the rest of the way and sat up, holding his head in his hands. His clothes were tattered and his head was a stringy mess. A woman wearing a lovely dress rushed up to him, fretting over him, asking if his was alright and if she should call for help.

Assured at his safety, Kagome dove back underwater and swam toward home. Her friends followed, relieved that they'd all made it out of this mess undiscovered, but they shared troubled glances behind the princess they loved so much. She hummed happily all the way, but Sebastian felt that something had shifted irrevocably in the heart of the youngest princess of the King of the Sea. He hoped he might talk some sense in to her before she did something even more drastic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story I will blend bits of InuYasha: A Fuedal Fairy Tale, Disney's The Little Mermaid, And Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid into one hopefully cohesive tale. This is not set in Japan, just a nonexistent kingdom. Imagine Inuaysha dressed like Prince Eric and Sesshomaru all trussed up in silk ruffles and gold buttons. Also, there are no yokai. Sessh, Inu, and InuPapa will all have their signature silver hair and golden eyes but they will be human.
> 
> Some beloved Little Mermaid characters will stick around, and some will be replaced with InuYasha characters. It's a mixed bag.


	3. Hope’s Crucible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only the first few chapters will stick so close to the source material for Kagome and then we will branch off. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter 2: Hope's Crucible**

King Tōga looked sternly at both his sons sitting across from him at his desk in his study.

Sesshomaru, ever proper and decorous, sat up straight with his hands rested lightly on the chair's armrests. His expression was bland and he met his father's gaze evenly.

Inuyasha slouched causally, resting his chin in one propped hand while he drummed the fingers of his other hand on his knee.

It amazed him how different two men who had come from him could be.

"I have important matters to discuss with both of you. Matters of marriage and politics."

Sesshomaru straightened marginally, the tension settling around the corners of his mouth and eyes just barely visible. He was displeased, but he was determined not to show it.

Inuyasha on the other hand...

"No. No marriage talk. I've made it very clear I won't be a part of any alliance bullshit. I'll only marry for love."

"I'm aware of your... hesitations where political marriages lie my son, but you must consider what is best for-"

"No. I won't do it. I've been watching you and mother my whole life, and I won't settle for anything less than that. I'm serious."

Tōga sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You have one month until your eligibility ball to find a suitable partner or you'll be forced to choose then. That's as far as I'm willing to compromise."

"But I told you I wanted to find the woman who saved me. I have no idea where she is! One month?! That's not fair!"

"Do not speak to me of fair Inuyasha. We almost lost you this week. It was a shocking, gruesome reminder that life is cruel. I'll gamble away no more of your time on this earth. You have one month to find her, or you'll choose at the ball. No more arguments."

Inuyasha seethed. He grit his teeth and squeezed his hands into fists so tight he feared he might draw his own blood. But he forced himself to breath deeply and steadily. If one month was all he had then that's all he needed. Memory of the sweet voice that lured him from the grasp of death and the beautiful face that welcomed him into the waking world once again helped soothe the rest of his ire and strengthen his resolve. He would find her.

"Fine. One month. I'm sorry father but I have someplace to be."

Tōga held his expression steady as his younger son swept from the room. He was brash and passionate and impulsive, sometimes Tōga worried it would get him into trouble. But his son was also kind and fair, and he only wanted his happiness. He knew one day Inuyasha would understand.

Finally he addressed his older son and heir who'd sat patiently quiet for the whole ordeal. He sighed, not liking what he was about to do, but being king was often unpleasant, and more often than not had to come before being a father, especially to his heir.

"Your public mourning period is almost over."

Sesshomaru nodded, calm, collected and respectful. "That it is."

"I'll have to get your brother squared away first, but know that I'll be working to arrange a new, promising match for you as well."

Sesshomaru shifted; a bare, subtle movement that almost went unnoticed. But Tōga had learned to watch his son closely in order to read his well hidden moods.

"Arrange?"

He eyed his son for a moment. One word, the barest flicker of emotion; a blank face, the slightest purse of his lips. Curiously, Sesshomaru was nervous. He cocked a brow in confusion; Sesshomaru was never nervous.

"Yes boy, arrange. How else do you expect to find another wife."

His already stone set features shuttered even further. It was like watching ice grow even colder. He blinked and looked slightly off to the side. If Tōga didn't know better, he'd say the boy was gathering his courage.

"I had hoped..."

When he said nothing else for several moments, Tōga helped him along.

"You had... hoped?"

Sesshomaru met his father's eyes again and decided that caution was just not his forte.

"When mother died and you'd reached the end of your mourning time, you married a woman of lower birth for affection instead of advantage."

His father blinked and then blinked again before realization lit up his face.

"Oh. You want to marry for love too."

Sesshomaru seemed to relax just the slightest iota. He nodded and had the closest thing to a smile on his face that Tōga he seen in years.

"You... want to find... love?"

He blinked in answer, remaining silent, growing tense once more as his father sighed again and rubbed at the pain growing between his eyes.

"Sesshomaru this is... unexpected coming from you. You've always been so dutiful and responsible."

At his son's furrowed brow, he knew he'd have to clarify further.

"I know that you aren't a cruel man, but your reputation precedes you and others don't know you as I do. I didn't have the easiest time securing a marriage for you the first time. Kagura was a good match and the alliance we formed was strong. But then she died birthing a daughter, so there was nothing holding that alliance together. You're my heir Sesshomaru. You must have a strong, political marriage in place when you take over this kingdom one day, and you must produce a son from it. I'm sorry, but I can't allow you the same freedom I'm allowing Inuyasha."

Staring blankly at the top of his father's desk, Sesshomaru felt the tiny bit of hope he'd shored up in his heart wither away.

"Maybe things could be different if Kagura had birthed a son."

Sesshomaru met his father's eyes one last time.

"I understand father." He stood and bowed respectfully, turned, and quietly left his father's study.

—-

'Kagome I am going to get through to you. If this is the only way... so be it.'

Kagome stared at the shattered, splintered remains of her beloved, secret grotto. The trinkets and treasures she'd collected and cared for lay in broken heaps all over the floor, the statue of her rescued prince shattered into unsalvageable crumbles. Numbly she took it all in, feeling her heart grow cold and distant.

Nothing. She had nothing.

Every piece of humanity she'd recovered from the depths of the ocean floor and kept safe and secret here was gone. Every bare connection she'd forged to the land and the sun and the sky had been severed.

It was all gone.

Taken. By her father.

Her face crumpled and she threw herself forward, covering her face while sobs wracked her entire body.

She was lost, empty, betrayed to the depths of her soul.

"Poor child. Poor sweet child."

"She has a very serious problem."

Oily voices startled her from her grief and she looked up to find two slithery eels gliding towards her, smirking evilly with glowing eyes.

"Who... who are you?"

"We represent someone who can help you. Someone who can make all your dreams come true."

They circled and swirled around her, dark and grimy and dangerous. She knew they were no good at all, but there was something seductive about their offer, something she couldn't turn away just yet.

"I don't understand."

"Naraku has great power."

Icy fingers of dread clawed at her insides at the mention of that name.

"The Warlock of the Waves? I.. I couldn't possibly! No! Get out of here, leave me alone!"

"Suit yourself. It was only a suggestion."

They swam slowly away, and as she watched them go, she once more took in the crushed remains of her lifelong passion scattered carelessly across the ocean.

_'...I am GOING to get through to you!'_

' _I couldn't possibly!_ '

But couldn't she? What did she really have to lose?

"Wait."

Two devilish grins turned back around.

"Yes?"


	4. The Devil’s Deal

**Chapter 3: The Devil's Deal**.

Naraku grinned with feral satisfaction at what he saw in his spying bubble.

The youngest daughter of the great King Triton delivering herself right to his door. When he'd learned she longed for a human man he knew he'd been blessed with the opportunity he'd been waiting for, the opportunity to steal the all powerful trident from that bastard king and take his rightful place as ruler of the ocean.

He'd been on his way to ultimate greatness before Triton had cut him down, forcing him to slink away and lick his wounds, making his living selling party trick spells and curing baldness.

He smirked cruelly at the floor of his cave and watched the dark miasma curl and writhe across its surface. Occasionally a quiet moan or cry from the many souls trapped within would escape, and the miasma itself would reach out for fresh victims when a newcomer was nearby. This is where his patrons who couldn't meet his prices ended up. There was no purpose for this other than punishment, he never used the souls for anything else. He simply relished the knowledge that he was causing pain.

This is where that little mermaid princess would end up, along with her father and the rest of her sisters.

And any who opposed him once he got his hands on that trident.

' _Almost time, almost time.'_

He turned back to the image in the bubble and chuckled darkly.

She was almost there.

—

Kagome halted in front of the entrance into Naraku's abode. Fear gripped her lungs, squeezing them tight and making it hard to breath. She couldn't see anything beyond the opening. It was as if this door led straight into nothing. The eels circled around her once and swam ahead inside, pausing to turn and hiss in slimy unison, " _this way_."

She swallowed her fear and and swam cautiously inside.

A swirling purple smoke hovering just about the floor seemed to come alive as she swam over it, tendrils snaking up to brush against her fin. She would also swear that she heard it crying. She swam faster in hopes of avoiding it all together.

She glanced around and found nothing except the strange smoke to be out of place. Shelves and cabinets and crevices packed with bottles and boxes and canisters covered every available surface. She couldn't see inside every one, but the ones made of clear glass contained things she could only assume were spells or ingredients. There was a large glowing structure like a bowl on a stand in the center of the room, and the whole place was lit by an eerie, magical light that had no central source. So far Naraku was nowhere to be seen, and she wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse.

"Hello child. Welcome welcome to my humble home."

A calm, soothing voice that she couldn't pinpoint broke the heavy silence. Finally, from a dark corner she hadnt realized was far darker than it should have been, a being who could only be Naraku appeared.

His top half was like any merman you might see anywhere in the sea. He had a handsome, unassuming face, a kind smile, and netting from a human ship sling across his chest and decorated with glowing shells and pearls. But his bottom half, instead of fins and scales, was made up of octopus tentacles.

She'd heard of such merfolk before, but they had settled in a far away sea a long, long time before even her father had been born.

All in all, for all the awful things she'd heard about him, he didn't _appear_ to be the minister of evil she'd been told, but she wasn't about to disregard all of those warnings yet. She would listen to what he had to say, but she would be cautious.

"I heard you were having a hard time at home."

His voice was soft and sympathetic, meant to disarm her she was sure, but she simply nodded, trying to keep the uncertainty off her face.

His eyes shone with gentle understanding and he floated up to her side, placing his arm around her shoulders and ushering her further into his cave.

"I'm so very sorry my dear. It must be so hard. Parents can be such a drag. Come in and rest dear and tell your uncle Naraku all about it."

And so she did. Before she could stop herself she'd spilled every hope and dream, so desperate she'd been for a friendly ear to listen and understand. And when she'd laid it all out, he smiled so kindly and offered her her very dreams. If she ever thought she'd swim back out of this place the way she swam in, she'd been fooling herself.

"I can help you, you know. I can give you the legs you so desire, the chance to know your prince, the chance to love him."

"You can do that?"

He moved away from her side and drifted to a nearby shelf to begin rummaging through the jars and vials.

"My dear child. That's what I do! I _help_ people. You come to Naraku with a problem, and Naraku will always have a solution." He turned back to her, a look sadness taking over his features but doing nothing to soften hos eyes, eyes that had grown ever sharper with every second she stayed. "I know my reputation is dark, but I only wish to make others happy with my... special abilities."

Kagome ignored the faint buzzing of her warning instincts in the back of her head and chose to hang all her hopes on what she could only interpret has his sincerity.

"What do I have to do?"

His grin was not quite predatory, but Kagome could not miss the victory shining deep in his gaze.

"Well that's the beauty of it all my dear little mermaid. You only pay me my tiny, reasonable, perfectly harmless little fee and then I will take care of the rest."

"Pay? Fee? But... but I don't have-"

One of his tentacles settled on her mouth, haulting her voice.

"I'm not asking for much, no, nothing much at all. Just a tiny token of good faith, something you'll never even notice is gone. What I want from you is... _your voice_."

"My voice?" She gasped, shocked and scared and almost ready to call the whole thing off. "But without my voice, how can I-"

Naraku chuckled and it sounded almost as dark and dangerous as all the stories about him made him out to be. Her voice dried out in her throat at the sound of it.

"You'll lose none of your beauty of course, or your lovely, graceful manner."

Suddenly he was looming over her intimidating and imposing.

"And human beings are never really interested in what each other has to say."

His eyes were lit from within by a haunting light and she felt hypnotized. She felt herself nod and agree; a devilish grin split his face.

"Then these are my terms."

—-

_'You're transformation will last until he falls in love and kisses you, at which point you will remain a human forever. But, if he gives his love to another, the morning after he gives himself in marriage you will return to the sea. With the sunrise, your body will dissolve into sea foam... and your soul will belong to **me**.'_

It had been painful. Her tail had split and reformed and the searing pain had consumed her for moments that felt like eternity. With the completion of that transformation came one she should have suspected but took her by surprise; she couldn't breath.

Human lungs needed _dry_ air, not water.

She was uncoordinated with her new legs and couldn't swim at all. If flounder and Sebastian hadn't helped her out of Naraku's cave, she may have drowned there. He'd made no move at all to help her, so something told her he wouldn't have minded all that much if she _did_ drown.

But that was of no importance now. The deal was done and she'd survived it. Now was time to focus on finding her prince.

Scuttle, resident human expert, had found something for her to wrap around her like human clothes once she'd figured out how to keep her new feet under her, and no sooner had she tied the last knot to hold it in place a had big, noisy _thing_ ran into view and cornered her. She'd never seen a beast like this, and she didn't know if it would harm her, but before she would have to find out, _he_ ran up and pulled the beast away.

He was looking at her.

He was smiling at her.

He was _talking_ to her.

"I'm sorry if this knucklehead scared you. He's harmless, really."

She wanted to drown in his golden eyes and her cheeks already hurt from smiling so wide. She'd been human less than an hour and she'd already found him. He was more perfect than she'd remembered.

"Are you alright miss?"

She nodded quickly, smile never faltering, even as he took in her appearance with a skeptical brow.

"Well, I'm Inuyasha. What's your name?"

"—-"

She clutched at her throat when no sound left her lips, confused for a moment until the happy haze of being near her prince lifted and she remembered where she'd been just a short while ago, willing away her voice for the chance to meet this very man. She'd never realized how heartbreaking it would be to be unable to speak to him. She met his eyes again, and he immediately grew concerned at her sudden sadness.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

She lifted her chin and tapped her throat.

"You can't speak?"

She shook her head and his beautiful eyes widened.

"Do you have anywhere to go? A safe place to stay?"

Another shake of her head and he quickly jumped to action, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and ushering her toward the nearby castle.

"Well here, come with me, let me help you."

She looked back toward the place she knew Sebastian and flounder had been watching and smiled widely.

Things were already going so well.


	5. Sinking and Swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder that there are no demons in this story. The inu guys have silver hair and gold eyes but that's it, the rest of them is human. (I cant bare to part with the pretty hair and eyes)

**Chapter 4: Sinking and Swimming**

If someone had asked Kagome about bubbles this morning, she would have assumed she knew everything about them. She'd spent all of her life surrounded by them under water. She'd seen them so small you almost _couldn't_ see them, and she'd seem them so large she could fit easily inside. She made bubbles every time she moved, spoke, laughed, ate; she swam through them, under them, around them. Some sea animals rooted down into the sand and never moved, their only purpose seemed to be making bubbles all day every day. They were common, ordinary, not very mysterious, easily ignored. But sitting in the big warm 'bath' as she'd heard it called, she realized just how much more there was to know about bubbles.

Big, thick, frothy mounds of the most delicate, bubbles gathered almost like sea foam all around her and covered the water in the 'tub' she'd been put it. She'd been very wary at first; Inuyasha had been so kind and gentle with her, and he'd delivered her straight to a smiling woman named Carlotta who'd taken her right to the baths. This was not ideal. She'd just come _out_ of the water and now she was going back in? But this 'bath' was like nothing else she'd ever experienced. The water had been warmed and sweet smelling things from intricate bottles had been poured in. One of these bottles had made all of these bubbles. She scooped them up and blew them from her hands and laughed a now strangely silent laugh.

Then she'd had more stuff from bottles poured and scrubbed into her hair and skin and more warm water poured over _that._

Then she was dried and brushed and dressed in a large, heavy dress like she'd seen in some of the human images she'd found and stored in her grotto. The skirts were swishy and brushed against the floor as she tried to walk in the teetering shoes that had been slipped on her feet. Sparkling things she'd wanted to get a closer look at had been clipped into her hair and ears and then Carlotta circled her, straightening folds of fabric before standing before her beaming.

"There, finished. You look lovely dear! And just in time for dinner."

Quickly she was led from the dressing room to the dining room. Her heart faltered that she might see Inuyasha again, but Carlotta ' _tsk'd_ ' at her hesitation and pulled her along, pushing her straight into the dining room where everyone was gathered. "Come on honey, don't be shy!"

The moment she stepped in the opulent room, she zeroed in on Inuyasha and saw no one else. She blushed at the look he gave her, jaw slack and brows raised up toward his hairline. He met her half way and took one of her hands gently in his.

"You look wonderful."

She looked down and smiled, bashful and blushing and positive she might cry if she didn't look away from his gorgeous gold eyes.

"Come with me, come meet my parents."

_'Oh no. Oh no no no! His parents are the king and queen! Why didn't I realize I'd have to meet them_?!' Kagome thought to herself, frantically looking from Inuyasha's happy face to the man and woman standing regally by a large window and watching them approach.

Her heart thundered in her chest, but the queen, Izayoi's smile was so sweet and serene she felt instantly calmed. Inuyasha looked much like his father, King Tōga, with the same silver hair and golden eyes, but his expression was much sterner. He didn't feel hostile, but it still made her uncomfortable.

Izayoi took her hands and patted them in a warm, motherly way.

"Hello my dear, welcome to our home. My son tells me he found you stranded on the beach. Are you well? Do you live nearby?"

Kagome hesitated. _Did_ she live nearby? Was the bottom of the ocean nearby? Did she technically live there anymore?

"Mother, she can't talk. I think she may have washed up from a shipwreck."

That sounded better than her real story, so Kagome made no moves to refute it. Izayoi frowned and pulled her to the table.

"Oh you poor dear. It must have been quite the ordeal for you. Sit sit, let's get you a warm meal."

She was seated at the table in front of an empty place setting. She took a quick look around and finally noticed the additional person in the room.

Sitting across from her, posture stiff and proper, was a man who might've been even more beautiful than Prince Inuyasha. He possessed the same silvery hair and golden eyes, but his face was void of any expression, almost like he was etched from stone.

Her eyes widened, but he dipped his head down in a quiet greeting. She nodded in return, thankful when the covered dishes holding their meal where brought out and placed in front of them, giving her an excuse to break away from his intense stare.

The door at the far end of the room opened then, and a hunched old woman came in escorting a tiny girl in a pink, ruffle dress.

"Daddy!"

The quiet man sitting across from her stood and turned, waiting patiently for the little girl to run across the floor. She beamed at him and he stooped his fall frame to lift her up in his arms. She hugged his neck and then he placed her in the seat next to him.

The little girl blinked large brown eyes at her, and Kagome was immediately charmed. She smiled warmly at the little girl who blushed and turned to her father.

"Daddy, who's that? Is she a pretty princess?"

"Rin, this is a guest of your uncle. She cannot speak for herself, so we do not know her name. You are to remember your manners and address her with respect, understood?"

Rin nodded solemnly and turned back to Kagome.

"Hello pretty lady- I mean, hello _my_ lady. My name is Rin!"

Kagome waved and grinned, unsure what else to do since she couldn't return her greeting verbally.

"Very good Rin. That was quite respectful."

She beamed again, a sweet, childish grin and Kagome regretted she couldn't squeal over how adorable the little girl was.

The server stepped up again now that Rin was settled and one by one removed the covers to their plates. Hers was removed last, and the sight of the food she'd been served made her soul grow cold and her mind screech to a stop.

The large platter contained a small bowl with leafy green things and chopped up colorful bits not unlike certain dishes they ate back home made of seaweed and other sea veggies, but it was the main plate that had left her horrified. On a small pile of those green leaves was a dead crab stuffed with more green stuff. All she could see was her obnoxious but beloved friend Sebastian, bossing her around and patting her head when she cried, singing and composing and kissing up to her father and suddenly, tears burned in her eyes.

A hand reached across the table, entering her downturned field of vision and pulling her plate away. She looked up with a silent gasp to see Sesshomaru handing her plate to the server as he eyed her with subtle hints of concern in his mostly cold, golden eyes.

"Are you alright?"

She glanced around the table and every set of eyes was on her, varying degrees of confusion and bewilderment on all of their faces.

Her cheeks burned so she quickly turned back to Sesshomaru and nodded, relieved to no longer have the dead crab on her plate. He grabbed the little bowl of greens next to Rins plate and set it next to her own.

"Rin will not eat this."

She did her best to convey her thanks, and tried to ignore the steady, bemused looks from the others.

—

Kagome marveled at how soft and fluffy her bed was. This was _nothing_ like what she slept on back home. She'd often looked into the sky and watched the clouds float across the blue expanse like sea foam in the air and wondered how they'd feel.

This.

This is how they'd feel.

She sighed and threw her arm over her eyes in disgust as she remembered how much of a fool she'd made of herself at dinner.

Shortly after crying over the food she'd been served, she'd noticed the dinglehopper sitting there and happily began brushing her hair with it like Scuttle had shown her to do. She was so excited to show that she knew how to be human, and so humiliated when everyone had looked at her like she'd regrown her fins right there at the table.

They were for _eating_ , not hair brushing.

_'Unbelievable. What else was that bird wrong about_?'

She was glad today was over. Sebastian paced on the little table next to her bed and babbled on about plans to retrieve 'curse ending kisses,' but she couldn't focus on any of it. Today had been overwhelming and she was ready to rest and start again fresh tomorrow.

Her eyes fluttered closed, Sebastian snuggled up in her hair, and she surrendered to the welcoming arms of sleep.


	6. Charmed

**Chapter 5: Charmed**

Kagome wandered in some of the common areas of the castle, left to her own devices and trying to find something to do that wouldn't inconvenience anyone while Inuyasha was busy with official prince things.

It was her third day here on land, and she was not feeling very hopeful today.

Yesterday, Prince Inuyasha had invited her to accompany him into town. She had eagerly agreed, and together they rode away from the castle. There had been so much to see, so many new things to investigate and explore, and Inuyasha had been a very good sport about all the different directions she'd dragged him. He'd been very confused as she gestured to things with a questioning look, not understanding that she was asking what things were. He caught on eventually and had happily told her about all the things she "asked" about, though she could tell he didn't understand _why_ she needed to be told.

He was also very distracted, glancing all around and staring deeply into the crowds as if he were looking for something or someone. It had been a little deflating to be so looked over by the person who's attention she had potentially sold her soul to get.

But, she reminded herself it was only day three, and she bucked up her courage to take on each new day as it came.

Eventually her wondering led her to a propped open door leading into a beautiful, well lit garden. In the center, little Rin sat on a blanket and laid doll out next to her.

Curious what she was doing and wishing to see all the pretty things growing, Kagome stepped out onto the grass and walked straight to Rin's little set up.

Rin must have heard her footsteps. She turned with a questioning frown, but soon her face lit with a glowing grin when she recognized who was interrupting her play time.

"Pretty lady!" She eagerly gestured with her little hand, patting a spot next to her on her blanket and Kagome happily obliged.

"Hello pretty lady, did you come to play?"

Kagome nodded and Rin handed her a teeny plate with a teeny cup. Her eyes widened as she looked them over. They were made of the same thing that the cup she'd been given with breakfast had been made of, with the same delicate flowers painted around the rim, but these were much much smaller, and she found them even more awkward to use than the bigger version.

"Alright pretty lady, we're having a tea party! Are you thirsty?"

Kagome nodded again, though she wasn't sure if these little cups would hold enough of any liquid to help anyone. Rin reached over with a tiny replica of the tea pot she'd been starved warm tea with earlier, only when she tipped it over, nothing came out.

"Careful, it's very hot."

She was very serious, and Kagome could only nod along as Rin "poured" her own tea and pretended to take a sip.

"Ah! Lovely tea, isnt it?"

' _Oh, I'm supposed to ACT like there's something here.'_

Catching on, Kagome pretended to take her own tiny sip, and then closed her eyes as if relishing the taste.

Rin clapped her hands excitedly and then turned to rummage in the little basket she'd taken the cups out of.

"I have cookies in here too, but don't tell anyone! I snuck them out of the kitchen when Nanny Kaede wasn't looking."

Kagome covered her mouth to hide her grin and accepted the cookie gratefully, recognizing a kindred, mischievous spirit in the tiny little princess.

' _Not like I could tell anyone if I wanted too_.'

She nibbled on her little cookie while Rin chattered to her about her dolls and what their names where, delighted by the sweet smell of all the strange plants and and the warmth of the sun.

Overcome with the urge to feel the grass on her new toes, Kagome unlaced her shoes, which were thankfully much easier to walk in than the tall things she was given for dinner time, and wiggled her toes in the sun-warmed blades peeking out of the edge of rin's blanket.

' _Pic-nic blanket, she'd called it. A blanket for eating on the ground, how funny!'_

Suddenly Rin nudged her and hopped around her shouting, "Tag! You're it!" Before racing off deeper into the garden.

Catching on quickly again, Kagome stood and gave chase, excited to practice running and brimming with happiness to be doing so in such a beautiful place. She caught Rin quickly and was informed that now she had to run. It was a simple game of back and forth but Kagome found it positively thrilling. They chased around great bushes with deep red blooms and under sculpted arbors covered in thick greenery. Rin even used her small size to her advantage to tuck in between small shrub trees and pop out to scare her as she ran by. Her laugh was strangely silent since giving up her voice, but she laughed nonetheless as she and Rin played the afternoon away.

Their game was ended abruptly after Kagome ran too close to a group of dark bushes and stepped on something sharp. Pain sliced through her food and caused her to stumble. She fell forward into the grass, shocked for a moment before the pain caught up with her fully.

A dark shadow fell over her and then a pair of hands hooked under her arms and hauled her upright. She was helped over to a stone bench and the person who kneeled in front of her and inspected her foot shocked her.

' _Sesshomaru_.' She'd only learned his name because Inuyasha spoke candidly of him during their time in town. She now found it a bit odd that no one had formally introduced them.

His stoic face closely examined the bottom of her stinging foot and she felt a little awkward, but then Rin ran up and fluttered around nervously.

"Oh no! Are you alright pretty lady? Did I make you get hurt?!"

"Rin," Sesshomaru interrupted, and Rin snapped right to attention. "Go put away your toys. You'd be very upset if something happened to them because you didn't care for them properly."

"Yes daddy!" She bounced away back to her picnic blanket, and Sesshomaru turned back to Kagome and met her eyes.

"This will sting."

She nodded and grit her teeth while his fingers pressed around the place her foot hurt the most. Then he dug in a little deeper and a few stray tears streamed down her face as she tried to concentrate on anything but how shockingly painful this whole thing was. He pulled something out and held it up for her to see.

"You stepped on a thorn."

She gingerly took it from him and looked closer.

_'It's so small to have caused so much pain!_ '

She looked back up to try and convey her thanks when she saw Sesshomaru untie the kerchief at his neck and slip it off, wrapping it tightly around her foot.

She blushed as he tenderly cradled it to make sure it had been thoroughly cared for.

He looked up at her again and she thought she detected the slightest hint of a smirk.

"You should be more careful if you insist on running barefooted through the garden."

Her cheeks flamed darker, and she could only nod dumbly as he stood back to his full height and offered her a hand.

"You will regain full mobility within the hour."

She looked up at him and tried her best to look as supremely grateful as she felt. To her amazement, he seemed to understand her.

"Don't mention it."

She stared shocked for a moment before she burst out laughing. She knew she hardly knew him, but he didn't really give the impression of someone who told many jokes.

"Even your laugh is silent."

She shrugged, and he gestured to the stone path that led back toward the castle.

"Rin will be headed back to her studies, shall I walk you?"

She took his offered arm and matched his sedate pace. She still felt slightly unsure of his presence, but it _was_ nice getting to see and enjoy so much more of the garden this way.

Sesshomaru kept his gaze locked ahead for several moments as he grappled internally with what to say. He'd never been good at this, just talking with people. And it was even harder knowing that she couldn't actually talk back. But he wanted to try, as he'd been curious about her since he'd caught her crying over their stuffed crab her first night.

"Is it only sea life you oppose eating, or are their other dietary restrictions we should know about?"

Kagome cringed up at him and he had to fight the urge to grin in response.

"Do not worry, there was no harm done. It's not as if you could have told us beforehand."

She looked down quickly to hide her red cheeks and nodded.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. Now, is it all aquatic animals you avoid eating?"

She shook her head no.

"Will you eat fish?"

She thought for a moment, and he could clearly sea the sadness bleed back into her eyes. She quickly shook her head no again.

"Octopus?"

She stopped to think again, but this time something like fear settled into her features before being chased away by anger. She nodded an emphatic "yes" and he was both charmed and envious of her ability to show her thoughts and feelings so clearly.

They went on like that for a while, slowly meandering back up the garden path, and he was able to paint a much clearer picture of what she might have at mealtimes without breaking down at the table. He was alarmed, however, to find that when he asked about chicken, the first non sea food, she'd had no idea what he was talking about.

Her brow furrowed and her head tilted to the side, clear indication that she had no clue what a chicken even was.

"You don't know what a chicken is?"

She seemed a little self conscious when she shook her head no, and he did his best to reign in his bewilderment in order to cause her as little discomfort as possible.

"I see. Well, perhaps I will have the kitchen put it on the menu for tonight."

She lit up, a wide grin stretching across her face. She was excited to try something new, and he was happy to be giving her such an opportunity.

"Sesshomaru!"

Inuyasha's brash tone cut across the remaining stretch of walkway as he trotted up to them and they halted to wait for him to catch up.

"Hey, I'm going into town again so I'll be gone the rest of the day." He shot an apologetic look to Kagome and then turned back to his brother. Kagome excused herself to gather her shoes and stockings from where they'd been left in the grass and the two princes spoke quietly again.

"Sorry to leave her here with you guys after I'm the one who brought her here but, father gave me a whole list of shit I have to get straightened out for that stupid ball they insist on throwing still, and she just wants to look at everything. I wouldn't mind if I wasn't so preoccupied right now, but..."

"You find your eligibility ball to be 'stupid?'"

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms, scowling down at the grass.

"Yes, because it is. I told father I wouldn't agree to any arranged marriage and I meant it. I would never be able to live like that, I'm not like _you_ Sesshomaru." He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.

"Anyway. I've just come to ask you if you need anything from town and tell _her_ that she's starting etiquette lessons with Carlotta tomorrow. I think mom and dad mean to find out where she's from when everyone comes in for the ball."

"I don't need anything." Sesshomaru clipped out tersely, though Inuyasha didn't notice, simply turning with a wave and marching back inside.

Kagome peeked over her shoulder as Prince Inuyasha left. She could hear the two talking, though she couldn't make out what was said, and something must have upset Sesshomaru very much. His straight, regal posture had gone completely rigid and stiff and he was looking blankly down at the ground, face void of all thought and emotion.

She stood and walked to his side, placing a soft, tentative touch to his arm.

He blinked and met her gaze and his features softened just a touch as he read her question in her eyes.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you how disappointing it is to be so misunderstood."

She smiled sadly. He _didn't_ have to tell her that, though she'd never be able to tell him just how deeply she understood.


	7. Lady Lessons

**Chapter 6: Lady Lessons**

Her first few days had been dedicated to wandering and exploring and trying new foods and embarrassing herself and hoping and dreaming about what her life here might be like for real if she managed to pull off what she was hoping to pull off. But now, Kagome just wanted to cry.

She was bored and frustrated and tired, but Carlotta was being as sweet and encouraging as she could be while trying to teach her a lifetime's worth of royalty etiquette lessons in a few weeks time. _Thankfully_ a lot of this wasn't too different from princess etiquette she'd learned back home- well, the etiquette she'd learned when she hadn't ditched classes completely to go snoop around in shipwrecks- so she was moving along quickly enough and impressing her sweet teacher by having a straight spine, airy smile, dainty bites and perfect, delicate fingers when drinking from a glass.

Not that they really _drank_ anything under the water, but these 'cup' things looked a lot like certain dishes they used to hold food for the after parties her father threw after Sebastian's concerts.

It was the silverware that had thrown her for the biggest loop during the table etiquette lessons. It was all self explanatory enough and she'd managed well enough for meal times, but she could be neater and more graceful and scrape against the plate less.

That's when she'd learned the true name of a dinglehopper.

A _fork_. She still wanted to die when she thought about her first sighting of a fork on dry land. Carlotta softly patted her cheek to snap her out of her daze and Kagome sighed, placing the pile of books back on top of her head and balancing it carefully.

"Alright now dear, just once more across the room and then we will move on to dancing."

Her shoes pinched and her dress was too long and laced a little too tight and her hair had been piled up with too many pins that scratched her scalp and if she didn't get out here and under the sunshine soon, Kagome was certain she'd go insane. She stepped slowly, slowly across the empty dining room while Carlotta fluttered around behind her getting various bits and bobs tidied up for the rapidly approaching lunch hour. She instructed some servants passing through to move the small table she'd had brought in to hold teaching materials.

"We'll need plenty of space for the dance lesson. I think you'll do very well with dancing my dear, you've just done splendidly with all your training. Why, I wouldn't be surprised to find you come from nobility yourself, don't you!"

Kagome smiled a large, nervous smile and shrugged, miraculously managing to keep the books balanced. They'd asked her yes or no questions here and there about her origins, but she'd decided playing dumb was probably for the best since she couldn't explain that while _yes_ she was from a nearby kingdom, _no_ they couldn't take her home because it was underwater. She'd let them believe she'd lost her memory in the shipwreck they'd believed she'd washed up on.

"I believe the king and queen hope to show you off at Prince Inuyasha's eligibility ball. Perhaps someone you are related to or acquainted with will be there and can help you get home, wouldn't that be something!" Carlotta chirped, bustling about and pulling some more curtains open.

' _Oh it would be something alright._ ' Kagome thought, almost wanting to laugh at the ridiculous thought of her father or sisters or literally anyone else she knew showing up to a human ball.

' _That really would not be as wonderful as you all think it would_ .'

She snorted a silent laugh, continually caught off guard by being able to _feel_ laughter, coughs, and yawns, but never hearing the faintest of sounds. Even her breathing was completely silent. Her throat had become a wasteland for all sound and if it was this unnerving to her, she was sure the others found her silence just as eerie.

"We'll get you as ready as you can be, don't you worry at all dearie. And anyway it will be Prince Inuyasha doing most of the dancing anyway. An eligibility ball is for finding a bride after all."

Kagome felt her heart sink a little; it always did when someone brought up the ball that was looming over all of them just a few weeks away. Having such a close time limit to achieve her goal made clear just how daunting this task really was. She needed to be with him to make him fall in love with her, but he was kept busy with his own preparations and errands to run and she was kept here being taught how to act pretty and polite. If all else failed, maybe she could impress him at the actual ball. If the whole objective was to find a wife, maybe he'd look twice at her.

The dining room doors opened abruptly and the object of her troubled thoughts walked in. She startled enough that the stack of books she'd been balancing slid right off her head onto the floor in a loud, messy heap.

"Well speak of the handsome devil!" Carlotta exclaimed, rushing up to curtsy and pull him into the room by his elbow.

"Were you talking about me Carlotta?" Inuyasha replied, smirking in good humor before meeting Kagome's eyes with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that, I didn't know I was interrupting anything. Just passing through."

She felt her cheeks warm and smiled shyly. They both kneeled to pick up the books, but he shooed her hands away.

"No no, I got it. It's my fault anyway."

"Are you very busy right now Your Highness?"

Inuyasha stood and walked the books over to the little table that had been moved aside.

"No, just going to get changed before lunch. Do you need something?"

"We were just about to practice some dancing, but it appears my helper has not turned up. You're a lovely dancer Your Grace, won't you help us?"

Kagome was sure he could see the hope swimming in her eyes but she didn't have the good graces to care about being too obvious. He shrugged and grinned, stepping up to bow slightly and hold out a hand in request.

"I'd love to help. May I have this dance my lady?"

His eyes danced with mischief and humor and her heart soared. She took his hand and he pulled her in close, one hand resting at the small of her back and she blushed to be held so close.

He spun her skillfully around the room, and though she had a moment or two of clumsiness she quickly caught up and discovered an inner grace of her own. This was not very different at all to dancing as a mermaid, she just needed to be a little extra mindful that she had _two_ feet to move on instead of one tail to swim with. He twirled her through three different, popular dances, counting out the steps and turns and dips, eyes rarely leaving hers the whole time. When she tripped he caught her and laughed with her; he dipped her way back with a devilish smirk; he was strong and sure and confident, and when their lesson was done she was breathless and flushed.

Carlotta sniffled And dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, babbling about how lovely they were and what a darling pair they made.

"Oh Carlotta, you old sap. You dance with me now!"

He ignored Carlotta's objections and soon had her laughing and out of breath. Kagome watched and felt her heart swell, hoped he may have felt something here today, hoped he'd seen her the way she'd seen him, hoped this would not all be in vain.

The clock struck 12, and it was time to move on to the next part of the day.


	8. Sweet Nothings

**Chapter 7: Sweet Nothings**

Kagome laid back in the garden grass and let the sun warm her. Another day of walking straight in pinchy shoes with books on her head followed by more dancing, this time with a skilled servant instead of Inuyasha, who had been out- again.

He spent so much time _away_. She sighed morosely, but a sweet, tiny voice made her heart feel instantly just a little bit lighter.

"Pretty lady! Hi pretty lady!"

' _Ah, there she is_.'

Kagome sat up and waved, a bright smile stretching across her face at the sight of little Rin walking over to her, dragging a basket that was obviously too heavy for her behind her. Prince Sesshomaru followed a few steps behind, keeping watch but not interrupting. She gave him a polite wave that he acknowledged with a nod of his head. This had become a sort of ritual. She'd come out here several times and ended up playing with Rin, and Sesshomaru stayed near to make sure everything was going alright. He was... a little intimidating, but he'd never been cruel or mean. All in all, it was one of the better parts of her days.

"I'm glad you came today pretty lady, I wanted to show you my rock collection!"

Kagome made sure to look very surprised, placing her hand over her heart in a "me?" gesture and Rin giggled.

"Yes you, I like you very much."

Her heart melted and she patted Rin's head then tilted her little face up, hoping she could see all her sincerity in her eyes.

_'I like you very much, too.'_

Rin beamed and then lifted the top off her basket. One by one she took out her collection of very grey, very dirty, very ordinary rocks.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Little Rin whispered in reverence, and Kagome hoped she looked surprised in a good way instead of a confused way, at least to this tiny child; she'd never been good at schooling her features.

Sesshomaru snorted delicately and she knew at least one person could read her true thoughts.

But she nodded enthusiastically anyway when Rin looked to her for a response.

"I knew you'd love them!" She leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Daddy says they're too dirty and plain but I knew he was wrong."

Kagome peeked back at Sesshomaru standing several paces behind them. He stared off into the distance as if he wasn't paying acute attention to his daughter's every move, but he couldn't hide his faint smile at her words he'd obviously not missed.

Kagome smiled too, charmed and amused and touched that she'd been trusted with a beloved collection. She wished she could show Rin her own collection, that it hadn't been destroyed and left behind.

Rin spent some time arranging her rocks and Kagome picked one up here and there, showing it to Rin as a silent question which she picked up immediately, telling the story of where she found it and why she thought it was so special. She remembered her story for each and every rock, though none of them really stood out any more or less than another and Kagome was impressed.

When all her rocks had been shared and explained, Rin looked up at her with questions in her eyes and all the brazenness of a child.

"Pretty lady, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Without thinking of the consequences, wrapped up in the joy that was a sunny garden, sweet scented flowers and cute, tiny company, Kagome nodded happily.

"Really? How many?"

Kagome lifted one of Rin's rocks and pointed to herself."

"That one is you."

She nodded, pleased that Rin was following along. She placed it in the grass and then laid six more rocks next to it in a line. Rin counted them carefully.

"7... there's 7 of you?" She asked with eyes wide with wonder. Kagome nodded, smiling proudly at her for figuring it out.

"How many are brothers?" Kagome shook her head no. No brothers, only sisters, and Rin lit up like a little candle flame.

"Wow! I wish I had that many sisters! But, my mommy died, so I don't have any sisters at all. What's your mommy like?"

She kept her little head up, but Kagome sensed her rapidly falling into sadness. She reached out and touched Rin's little shoulder and then placed a hand over her own heart and shook her head sadly.

"Your... your mommy died too?"

She nodded a confirmation and then patted her lap. The tiny princess crawled up and rested her head on her shoulder.

"It's okay pretty lady, I will help you not be sad anymore."

She hid her smile in Rin's hair and hugged her close. She _wasn't_ all that sad anymore. It had been a long time, and she'd been very young, but she remembered being this small, being this sad. She knew that in offering to be a comfort, Rin was actually asking for comfort. She could give it.

She glanced back at the little girl's father and wasn't surprised to find his golden gaze turned on her, waiting for her acknowledgment, though she found it startling how much emotion swirled there.

"Thank you." He mouthed silently; she simply smiled in return and hugged the girl closer.


	9. Sparkle Sand

**Chapter 8: Sparkle Sand**

Sesshomaru chose a flat-ish spot on a large pile of rocks and did his best to find a comfortable position for his tall frame that was also at least _somewhat_ dignified. This was the best vantage point to watch and observe the safety of his daughter. Today during her usual garden play time, she'd once again encountered the strangely silent woman his brother had brought home and continued to leave alone with nothing to do. They had quickly conspired and cornered him. He'd merely blinked and found himself staring into two sets of pleading eyes, Rin's warm and brown and the silent woman's a startling shade of sparkling blue. It alarmed him how ensnared by both he'd been.

"Yes?"

Rin had babbled so fast her her words had jumbled up into nonsense. The silent woman had laughed her strange silent laugh and placed her hands on Rin's shoulders to slow her down.

When Rin tried again, asking him if they could go down to the shore and look for seashells, he'd been hard pressed to say no when they'd turned their pleading eyes back on him.

He'd sighed a bare, subtle sigh, resigned to a day of discomfort on the shore.

"Very well, but I will escort you both and keep watch."

Rin cheered, and while he could tell the silent woman- he really wished he knew her name so he could quit referring to her, even silently, in such an impolite way- was pleased they could spend the day out of the castle and understood his condition for going, she was still at least a little uneasy in his presence.

Which _he_ understood. He hadn't been completely cold towards her but he knew most people found being around him discomfiting no matter how much he forced himself to speak. He just wasn't as free as his brother was.

Rin shrieked and it brought his attention back out. They were splashing each other, and Rin was having a wonderful time with it.

He smiled only to himself, pleased she had someone other than her nannies or himself to play with. He obviously made no kind of decent playmate no matter how hard he tried. He'd been allowed so little time to play as a child he'd never really known how. Inuyasha was better at it, and while he would make some time to play with his niece every now and then, it wasn't something he did too often. Her nannies let their fear and respect of him get in their way of really letting go and treating his daughter like the child she was despite her status as the heir's daughter. All in all, his daughter was usually bored and lonely. This strange woman had brought her much joy in her short time here and so far he'd seen no reason to assume she meant any harm, though he stayed close, you could never be too safe with your child.

He looked out again to get them back in his sights. The yelling had stopped so he couldn't pinpoint them audibly anymore.

He quickly looked back down, cheeks warming a touch at the sight of the silent woman hiking her skirts up to wade out deeper into the water, though Rin stayed higher up on shore, water only to her ankles. He peeked back up to see her smiling brightly and waving a large shell for Rin to see. His little girl jumped and clapped and his heart warmed.

This was all very unorthodox, very undignified, very untraditional, very _not_ everything he'd been taught to uphold and value above all else as future king.

But for all of that, he couldn't help but to feel like that's they way " _it_ " was supposed to be.

Only time would tell what " _it_ " was, though.

—-

Kagome let the salty breeze whip her hair around her face, ocean spray dotting and sprinkling her skin and waves lapping at her legs.

When they'd come out here she'd had a half a second of panic that touching the sea water might revert her back to fins but it had not, and she was truly enjoying getting to reconnect with what was technically her home on brand new terms. Water felt much more luxurious on toes than it did on fins.

She looked down at the tug on her skirt, little Rin's beaming face bringing her a soft joy.

"Come look at the shells we got, pretty lady!"

She nodded and allowed Rin to pull her over to the shell pile, but on the way she found a heap of washed up sea weed and an idea struck her. She stopped Rin and pointed, and Rin released her hand and allowed her to go grab up the slimy pile.

"Ew! Why are you grabbing that stuff?"

Kagome took it to the water line and began rinsing each strand clean and grinning as Rin continued to babble questions she clearly couldn't answer.

She brought the newly clean pile to their little heap of shells, placing it nearby and sorting through the shells to find one large enough for what she intended. She picked it up and bashed it on a nearby rock. Rin gasped, sad and surprised but then Kagome used the sharp shard and started slicing the strands of seaweed into thin strings.

When she had a nice pile of those, she showed Rin how to find the shells with little holes in then, and then demonstrated stringing them on to the seaweed while braiding the seaweed into a cord. Her little face lit up in delight, and Kagome was certain she'd never seen someone take to shell necklace making as quickly as Rin had.

After some time crafting their little necklaces and bracelets, Rin decided they needed to go show her father.

"Daddy will love them! Come on Pretty Lady!"

Unsure but unwilling to disappoint her little friend, Kagome followed at a more sedate pace as Rin dashed up the sand to her father's diligent perch on a pile of beach rocks.

She stood just behind Rin as she showed off all the "pretty jewels" they'd found and made into "fancy princess jewelry." For the first time since her arrival she was glad for her inability to make any verbal noises. She coughed nervously when Rin asked if they looked like "pretty mermaids." Sesshomaru's quiet "yes of course" left her blushing for some reason she couldn't identify, and she thanked her lucky bubbles again when he stood, tall and imposing and declared it was time to go back inside and get ready for dinner.

He picked Rin up who held out one more necklace.

"For me?" He asked, grave and somber, like she was offering him a true treasure. Maybe to him it was.

"Yes daddy, for you!"

He ducked his head and Rin slipped the seashell necklace around his neck, where it looked both right at home and a little silly.

To her surprise, he wore it to dinner that night, making Rin glow with pride and leaving Kagome feeling a strange fuzziness. He caught her eye and gave her a very soft, very slight smile and her cheeks warmed for the second time today because of him.

_"I'm sure I don't have to tell you how disappointing it is to be so misunderstood."_

His words from her first trip to the garden came back to her and she realized with sadness that she'd been misunderstanding him too. She smiled back and then ducked her head to her plate to hide her pink cheeks, breathing steadily to calm her heart. She allowed herself to be lost in the conversation of the rest of the table but she never lost the feeling of a steady set of golden eyes on her until dinner broke and she retired to her bed.


	10. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A cliché romantic rain scene. You love to see it.

**Chapter 9: Interlude**

The sky churned dark and heavy, laced through with ribbons of lightning and dumping thick sheets of rain that had fallen endlessly for days. The wind tossed the sea; the waves roiled angrily and the closest boats and ships had been docked for safety. All outdoor chores and activities that were not strictly necessary had been halted and windows and doors were shut and locked tight.

Kagome had not stepped one foot out of the palace for all the days the storm raged. She'd tried a few times and had been turned right back around with admonishments of "getting ill" or "catching her death," and that made no kind of sense to her at all.

Sick from being wet? How was that possible? She'd grown up underwater. If water could make you sick then she and everyone she knew would have always been ill. Everyone here seemed fine with bathing but water from the sky was different?

It was a frustrating little problem, made worse by the fact that she couldn't ask anyone for clarification.

She'd tried to keep as busy as possible, but other than meal times, after her "lady lessons" with Carlotta there just wasn't much for her to do. She learned quickly after a visit to the library that, while she spoke the same language as the humans, they certainly did _not_ write with the same letters, so the books were useless to her. Some had nice pictures but most of them were just words she could make no sense of. Rin was given extra lessons to keep her from destroying the palace in boredom, so her little playmate was around even less than usual, and Prince Inuyasha...

Kagome sighed from her place on the little window seat she'd occupied for the last several hours staring out at the grey sky.

Prince Inuyasha was almost nowhere to be found. He showed up for meals and occasionally stepped in for her dance lessons. Sometimes he'd chatter her ears off for a time about things that worried him and at first it had given her some hope.

Now she suspected he did it because she couldn't say anything anyway.

She sighed again. She was going stir crazy.

She thought momentarily about going back to the library, but the last time she'd done that Sesshomaru had been in there reading in a corner by a window. The lightening illuminated his silver hair and finely drawn features in a way that had her staring. He'd caught her and asked if there was anything he could help her with. It had been so supremely embarrassing she'd stayed as far away from the library as she could manage.

She sighed again for what must have been the millionth time, feeling disgusted with herself and the restless boredom she'd been battling for days.

' _I cannot sit here a moment longer. I'm leaving this castle today, human sensibilities about rain be damned!'_ She thought with bright determination, standing tall and marching straight for the door she knew led to the little garden she'd spent so much time in with Princess Rin.

As she grew closer, she slowed her pace and looked around for any servants or attendants that might try and stop her again.

Luckily there were none to be found, so she raced forward, unlatched and threw open the door, and ran outside and into the rain.

She threw her head back and her arms out. The rain quickly soaked through her clothes and hair, but cool, stormy air zipped through her system, chasing away the lingering dread of another day trapped inside and making her feel like _Kagome_ again.

She spun around and allowed the rain to run through her, slicking her hair to her face and her clothes to her skin. She felt so free, so relieved to be in the open and tasting the air again. This was what she'd always imagined being human to be like.

"What are doing?!"

A shocked voice startled her and she looked toward the door in a panic at having been caught. She quickly brightened when she saw who it was.

Sesshomaru stood in the open doorway, his normally flat features screwed up in shock and confusion. He'd been concerned when he'd seen the garden door open, a puddle of rain collecting on the floor and seemingly no one around to remedy the issue, but he'd grown even more concerned when he'd peeked outside and found that silent woman spinning around and soaked to the bone.

She had obviously not meant to be caught out, fear and surprise writ large on her face at the sound of his voice. But a wide, bright smile quickly overtook her features, a smile that left him stunned until he noticed her gesturing for him to join her in the rain.

"Do not be foolish, we will catch our death out here."

She rolled her eyes and made a fade that clearly told him how ridiculous she thought that idea was, and bounced up to grab his wrist and pull him out from under the safety of the doorway.

The rain soaked him almost immediately, chilling him despite his buttoned up shirts and waist coat, but he stood stunned once again by the happy, beaming grin his relenting to stand in the rain had caused to light up her face.

His dignities had already been pushed farther than he'd ever allowed before, so he couldn't bring himself to dance with her no matter how his feet itched, but his did allow himself to be completely logged with icy water as he watched her twirl through the downpour and laugh her silent laugh.

' _What a shame that a woman so free would make no sound in her unbridled joy_.' He thought regretfully as warm tendrils unfurled and spread slowly through his chest.

When she sneezed at dinner he passed her his handkerchief with a smug lift of his brow and she blushed softly, the sweet pink of her cheeks making her eyes glow a striking shade of blue.

He averted his eyes back to his food and pretended not to notice.


	11. Dawn of Doom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is incredibly self indulgent. You’ve been warned.

**Chapter 10: Dawn of Doom**

Kagome stood in front of the mirror in her room, ignoring Sebastian's frantic muttering about "getting that boy to kiss you" and distracting herself with the intricate details of her dress for the eligibility ball tonight.

Carlotta had just left after finishing her hair and lacing her dress and nervousness had gripped every part of her.

She also couldn't breath through how tight Carlotta had laced the back of her bodice.

' _Sweet Poseidon! I thought humans needed to BREATH the dry air. How do they survive in clothes like this?'_

Still, her dress was beautiful. Of all the pretty things she'd been dressed in since she'd arrived, this was the most beautiful thing so far.

It was made from a gorgeous silver-blue silk embroidered with silver threads in a tiny vine and leaf pattern with a heavy, many layered skirt and sleeves that fell from her shoulders. Carlotta had swept her hair back and up onto her head with sparkling pins and then fastened a gem encrusted chain around her neck. She looked like a princess in one of the painting she used to have in her grotto. She'd always stared at it and marveled at how beautiful she looked in her human clothes; now she wondered if that princess had been as uncomfortable as she was. She rested her hand on her abdomen and breathed in as deeply as she could, trying to quell her panic at feeling so confined but unable to draw in a full breath.

Carlotta entered her room again and straitened a fold here and a gather there in the dress fabric, handed her a matching fan, and then escorted her to the ball which was already bustling with activity.

While it wasn't so very different from the balls she would attend in her own castle home under the sea, Kagome couldn't deny that there was something extra special about being a part of a _human_ ball. There were warm, glowing candles and large, lush flower arrangements, and strings of glittering crystals and pearls strung here and there. So many humans of all shapes and sizes danced and twirled in the center of the ball room, dresses of every color like splashes of living paint spinning round and round and Kagome thought this might be just about the most magnificent thing she'd ever seen.

She glanced around the rest of the room. A raised platform held two ornate thrones for the king and queen. They were currently unoccupied; Queen Izayoi mingled with her guests and King Tōga stood at the edge of the dias with Prince Sesshomaru, looking over his court with every air of grace and nobility.

Her gaze lingered a few more moments on Sesshomaru. He was already nearly other worldly in his beauty, but tonight she thought he surpassed even that. He was usually dressed rather formally, especially compared to his brother who usually dressed like a sailor, but his finery tonight was on another level entirely.

His intense gold eyes slid over to meet hers and her cheeks flamed. She quickly averted her gaze and unfolded her fan, using it to send a few blessed puffs of air to her face. She still hadn't grown used to the extra tight bodice and her lungs burned. Retreating to the outer perimeter of the gathering crowd, she leaned momentarily against a pillar and tried to catch her breath. The rising chatter behind her barely registers as the far doors open and Prince Inuyasha finally makes his appearance with a mystery woman on his arm.

—

Sesshomaru takes another moment to glance over the dancing crowd, a touch of disgust that his brother had actually pulled his hairbrained scheme off and found the woman who had supposedly saved his life, the Lady Kikyō, the beautiful, poised, quiet daughter of a local lord currently receiving an education at a nearby convent.

Their father would have to keep his word now, and Inuyasha would ride off into the sunset with the love of his life.

Which meant that this, on top of being an impromptu celebration of his brother's engagement, was now his own personal eligibility ball Part Deux, as his father would be focused on arranging a new match for him now instead.

Won't they all be so disappointed to find that the new prize of the night was not the kind, vibrant prince Inuyasha, but scary, stoic Sesshomaru.

The moment Inuyasha had smugly and brazenly announced his engagement his father had stepped off the dias and began feverishly networking within the crowd, already trying to dredge up some interest in his elder son.

_'Won't someone please marry my sad widowed heir?'_

Sesshomaru snorted delicately.

He wasn't _sad_. Not about being a widow, anyway. He'd barely known his late wife, and while he felt a certain regret that she'd died so young as she certainly hadn't deserved it, it's not like he missed her. And she had given him Rin, who he could never regret.

His first marriage hadn't been all bad at all. Kagura was the eldest daughter of a cruel King from a small but wealthy and distant kingdom, and on the surface she had been a lot like him; reserved, subdued, prone to taciturnity and uncomfortable performing in large social gatherings. She'd been raised to wait for a suitable match and have children and she'd accepted it.

That was really all he knew about her.

But the bottom line of it was, he'd already done this. He'd already willingly sacrificed a happy future for the good of his kingdom and the thought of doing it again, shackling himself like that to a stranger and playing along with a facade for a lifetime twisted something in him until he almost couldn't breath around it.

His eyes roved blankly over the whirling, faceless crowd, looking for Lady Silence as he'd come to secretly call her. He'd been stunned when he'd first caught sight of her. She was a beautiful woman on a regular day, but tonight she looked nearly angelic.

He spotted her in a far corner leaning against a pillar, fanning herself rapidly. Her eyes had slid half mast and her chest heaved in rapid, shallow breaths.

His eyes widened marginally as he realized what was happening.

He stepped gracefully from the dias and walked around the perimeter of the crowd and said a silent prayer of thanks that no one paid him any mind caught up as they were in the gossip he's brother had just ignited. He reached her side and wrapped one hand around the small of her back and grabbed her hand with the other.

"Come with me," he whispered close to her ear, and firmly but slowly led her to a nearby door to a quiet antichamber that went largely unused.

She glanced back with a start but upon noticing it was him, she simply nodded and shuffled awkwardly through the door. There were no servants around to help her, all either attending to guests in the ballroom or taking the night off and turning in early to their rooms in the servant's quarters on the other end of the palace. He would have to help her himself. She allowed him to brace her against a small table while he fished a utility knife from his boot. A small indignity, but useful.

He quickly cut the laces to the back of her bodice and she took in a great, silent gulp of air followed by a steady stream of deep, cleansing breaths.

She turned to him with a sweet, grateful smile and opened her mouth to speak, much to his surprise.

"—"

She was disappointed when nothing came out, grabbing her throat and seeming confused for a moment until her head cleared and she remembered where she was.

"You tried to speak."

She met his eyes with a blush and sheepish nod.

He averted his eyes, hit with the realization that she was now essentially in her underwear with her bodice cut off.

He cleared his throat and stood up tall, trying to meet her eyes despite his embarrassment.

"I will go fetch a servant to take you to your room and help you redress."

He made to turn but she grabbed his sleeve and shook her head in an emphatic ' _No_!'"

He hesitated, brow furrowing in confusion.

"You do not wish to return to the ball?"

She shook her head no again.

"Shall I escort you to your room for the night, then?"

She paused for only a moment to consider, but the thought of spending the rest of the night alone was not appealing. She shook her head no again and smiled reassuringly.

"You wish to... stay here? With me?"

She nodded and smiled brightly, happy he understood so easily.

He looked over toward the door back to the ballroom and grimaced.

"In here is indeed better than in there. But... you are no longer dressed appropriately."

She tilted her head, not understanding what he meant.

He cleared his throat again and felt his cheeks warm just the slightest bit, focusing on a point above her head in a grasp at decency.

"You are in your underwear."

She picked up her bodice where it fell to the floor and examined it before looking down at the stays she'd worn under it. The bodice certainly didn't cover more than the stays did, really it looked like she just wearing a less decorative bodice.

She looked back up at him with a cocked brow and miraculously he got the message.

"Yes I suppose you _are_ no less covered than you previously were... Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to traipse around in your underthings and catch cold."

He unbuttoned and removed his outer coat, offering it out and helping her to put it on.

She grinned, feeling warm and safe and able to _breath_.

And she would gladly admit to herself that being in here with him was far superior to being out there with _them_.

She glanced around at the small room they occupied and spied a small balcony.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him outside and then bowed before him in a request to dance, just as she'd learned the male was supposed to do in her dance lessons, and she giggled at the look of surprise on his face.

"You want to dance? Out here? With me?"

At her nod of assent, he straightened again and took her hand, bowing slightly over.

"As you wish my lady."

A soft, tinkling music made its way through the opened ballroom windows and over to their little balcony. Kagome's heart hammered in her chest every time Sesshomaru pulled her close. His golden eyes flickered in the gentle candle light of the antechamber, thoroughly ensnaring her.

Sesshomaru didn't know what was happening to him. Seeing her wrapped in his oversized overcoat while holding her in his arms for their own private dance away from the crowds _alone_ was making his heart beat faster and his head fuzzy. She seemed so comfortable and at ease with him, which was unusual for most people, most especially women, and her sparkling blue eyes and delicately blushing cheeks were endearing. If he didn't know better, he would say she was weaving some sort of spell over him. One that he was loathe to resist. The music stopped, and so did they, though she did not step away from him.

"You were not born unable to speak."

She blinked, the haze she was in broke at the sound of his voice.

She shook her head. He was right after all, and she couldn't find the desire to lie to him even if it would be safer for her.

"Then something has happened."

She nodded, still unable to look away from him.

His hand came up and her eyes fluttered as he gently twirled one of the curls framing her face with his finger tips.

"Perhaps I will endeavor to solve this little mystery."

He sighed and her eyes snapped back open. His features, which had been more warm and open than she'd ever seen them, cooled just slightly as he released his hold on her and stepped back.

Immediately she felt cold and clutched his jacket more tightly around her.

"Come. It's time to go. I will take you to your room."

She looped her arm through his and he led her from the antechamber and through the castle to her room.

At her door he bowed slightly and bid her a soft goodnight. She made to return his jacket, but he placed his hand over hers to halt her.

"Keep it."

She met his eyes, searching them for a moment, fining his sincerity. Their golden depths swirled, almost molten, making her blush.

She smiled softly and backed into her room, watching him turn and make his way back up the hallway before closing her door the rest of the way.

Sesshomaru tossed and turned, sleep eluding him. Every time he closed his eyes he remembered her lovely face, upturned toward him has he held her close and spun her through the music under the stars.

His heart beat fast and heavy and he felt on the cusp of something big and wonderful and dangerous.

He sighed and turned to his side, peering at the moon through the glass doors to his room's balcony. Dread filled him as he remembered that the whole while he'd stolen away with Lady Silence, his father had been hunting for a bride for him.

He once again cursed his luck, cursed his destiny, cursed his birthright as future king and the cage that came with such power.

He finally drifted off to sleep sad and troubled, but eager for the sun to rise and bring a certain face to the breakfast table.


	12. Term Limits

**Chapter 11:Term Limits**

Kagome hunkered down into the cushy window seat she'd chosen in a far corner of the library, a book with delicate plant illustrations open on her lap, trying to ignore the growing well of panic bubbling up from the bottom of her stomach.

She'd failed. She'd completely and utterly failed.

Inuyasha was marrying someone else. He'd barely looked at her since bringing her here after finding her on the shore, and now he had given his heart and his love to another.

She'd never stood a chance.

A masculine chuckle drew her attention. Inuyasha and his new fiancé occupied another window seat. She had come here to get _away_ from them, to be alone, but she'd not been here an hour when they waltzed in together. The Lady Kikyo was trying to read while Inuyasha hovered around and flirted with her. She smiled delicately at him, eyes shining with as much love as his own.

Kagome gulped down her rising fear and turned back to her book.

His wedding would be held in such a short time, and then she'd be left to turn herself over to Naraku. She looked out the window and took in the landscape, wishing she could run far away, get lost somewhere where she could never be found.

But she could feel the cold talons of Naraku's magic gripping her soul; she would never escape him.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the window sill, a silent sigh slipping past her lips which twitched up into a smile as memories of last night and the next morning filtered in through the fear.

Spending the evening with Sesshomaru had been more magical than she would have ever imagined. He was so sweet and considerate, so gentle and polite. She'd heard a few whispers about him from some of the other ladies at the ball, unkind things about his character or personality, things that made her heart ache as she considered how sad he always seemed, how kind he was to her, how incredible he was with his tiny daughter.

And then he'd smiled so softly at her at breakfast, inquiring about her sleep, pulling out her chair.

Her heart sped up and a new feeling bubbled in her chest, chasing away the panic.

A throat cleared at the library door, startling her.

Her heart sped up again to see Sesshomaru standing there, tall and straight with a nearly blank expression that belied the buzz of eagerness surround him.

He bowed slightly toward her and she stopped breathing, anticipation for his words nearly choking her.

"Good afternoon Lady Silence, I would be most honored if you would accept my invitation to accompany me into town today."

Shock and awe made way for a bursting feeling of sheer happiness, a smile spreading slowly across her face.

She nodded eagerly, and he nodded once in return.

"Very well. We leave in two hours hence."

He turned abruptly and strolled away.

She stood up and snapped her book closed, hugging it to her chest as she beat a hasty retreat back to her room to freshen up.

Inuyasha looked back and forth between where she'd been sitting and the door his brother just left through, unable to make any sense of what he'd just seen.

"What the hell?"

—-

This trip to town was very different to the trip Kagome had made with Inuyasha.

Then, she'd been excited and overwhelmed with all the new things to see, running this way and that, wanting to take it all in and miss nothing, just so so happy to be spending time with the handsome prince she'd saved and given up her voice and family and home for.

But this time, she walked calmly along on the arm of his tall, regal, subdued older brother. He led them on with purpose, but patiently answered her when she pointed at something. If he could tell she wanted a closer look, he would steer them over and explain every detail of anything that caught her eye.

It was a much less... ecstatic affair than her last foray into town, but it felt special, and a buzzy nervousness wrapped her up and made her heart flutter in that strange way it had been doing when Prince Sesshomaru was around. Her earlier panic and despair had turned to this sweet breathlessness, and each time she peeked up at him her stomach felt full of a thousand popping bubbles. This was so different to the bursting giddiness that being near Prince Inuyasha used to inspire. She thought again of her failure to obtain the magic sealing kiss and the looming reality of Prince Inuyasha's marriage to another and she realized she wasn't sad to have lost him, to have never won him in the first place.

However, great, gripping sadness consumed her at the thought that she would not see Sesshomaru again.

' _Is this... love? Have I fallen in love with him?'_

"We have arrived."

His voice burst through her dark, spiraling thoughts and she looked up to find they'd arrived at a small shop. The wood was dark with age though the sign had been cared for to keep it bright and legible, not that she could read it. The octopus wrapping his tentacles around each word was unmistakeable though, and the hair on her arms stood on end. Sesshomaru held the door for her and they stepped inside. She was instantly taken with the many rows of shelves and cabinets holding a menagerie of vials, bottles and jars, the spaces between cluttered with an array of trinkets.

' _This looks... like Naraku's cave._..'

Fear squeezed her for a moment and she pressed herself a little closer to Sesshomaru's side.

"Well hello there, if it isn't my favorite young Prince."

A large, older woman with a shock of short, white hair standing up at the ends stepped out of a curtain covered door and leaned against a counter covered in more vials and knick-knacks.

"You are the only one in the kingdom who would say such a thing."

The older woman's dark, gleaming eyes looked so intently at Kagome, she felt exposed straight to her soul.

She smirked and a chill ran up Kagome's spine.

"Perhaps not the _only_ one. Welcome to my... _apothecary_. I'm Ursula." Kagome answered with a small smile, and then she and Sesshomaru quickly turned to discuss the reason he'd come, a specific perfume for the nanny that had raised him and now looked after Rin, while Kagome distracted herself with and assortment of small pendants hanging from some hooks in the ceiling. One in particular caught her attention, a small metal shell on a length of black cord. It was simple and plain, but it reminded her of home.

"Like it?" Ursula asked, a strange edge in her voice that made Kagome feel like the old woman knew more than anyone had told her. She smiled again and nodded.

"My sister Morgana makes these. Amulets of protection against strange magicks. Something I think you'd know much about girl."

Kagome shrugged, hoping to turn the older woman's attention off of her.

Sesshomaru reached into his pocket and pulled out several gold coins.

"For the perfume... and the necklace."

Kagome waved him off, shaking her head, hoping to communicate how much he did _not_ have to buy her anything.

He simply grabbed one of her fluttering hands and gave her a small but warm smile.

"I insist."

She blushed and covered her racing heart while Sesshomaru finished his transaction.

Once outside again, Kagome heaved a relieved sigh to be back out in the sun. Sesshomaru bid her to turn and carefully brushed her hair over her shoulder, stringing the little shell necklace around her neck.

"Ursula and Morgana are... unique individuals. I apologize if you were uncomfortable. They make Nanny Kaede's favorite perfume and I don't trust anyone else to purchase the correct formulation. I owe much of who I am to her, and for what she does for Rin."

He finished tying off the necklace cord and Kagome turned to give him a grateful, understanding smile.

"Come. We must return."

The ride back was as silent as the ride into town, but Kagome distracted herself from her nerves by closely observing the horse drawn cart that Sesshomaru was driving them on. It seemed very much like the clam chariots they used back home. She loved driving clam chariots, and horses couldn't be _too_ different to steer from dolphins, so she put her hand on Sesshomaru's shoulder to draw his attention and gestured to the reigns.

His brows lifted nearly to his hairline when he understood her request.

"You want to drive?"

She nodded emphatically and Sesshomaru hesitated.

"Do you.. do you know _how_ to drive?"

She waved him off with an expression that clearly told him she found his question ridiculous. Of _course_ she knew how to drive.

"Well, we are rather close to the castle stables. I suppose it wouldn't hurt..."

She grabbed the reigns from him and snapped them, prompting the horses to yank forward, jolting the cart and both its occupants.

 _'Oh. Horses are VERY different to dolphins. My bad.'_ Kagome thought blankly, pulling on the reigns to try and stop the rampaging horses and only causing them to rear back and charge forward again.

The cart careened to its side as they rounded a bend in the road that ran along a shallow pond and it became clear that it would not remain upright.

Sesshomaru grabbed Kagome firmly around the waist, drawing her close and twisting them as they lifted from the cart's bench seat and flew into the pond so that he would land in the water and she would land on him.

They met the shallow water with a great splash, and when the water settled and the pounding sound of the horses' hooves had faded into the distance, Kagome peeked up to meet stern golden eyes.

"So, you do _not_ know how to drive."

She had the good graces to look sheepish. Sesshomaru sat upright, easily lifted Kagome from his lap, and dropped her into the water next to him.

She sat shocked as pond water seeped into her skirts, and Sesshomaru took advantage to grab a lily pad floating nearby and place it on her head.

She blinked, unsure what to make of his strange, out of character behavior, but the slight smirk and impish glimmer in his eyes tipped her off. She pulled the lily pad off and tossed it aside before standing and launching herself at him, pushing him back over into the muddy pond water and pulling up a handful of mud to drop on top of his silver head.

He wiped off what dripped in his face and dashed forward, but she hopped out of the way, scooping up another handful of mud and lobbing it as his wet shirt.

It was the most undignified Sesshomaru had ever been in his life. He knew he should be mortified at himself, even as a child he'd never been allowed this sort of freedom.

But soon he found himself laughing with her, a deep, rusty sounding laugh that he didn't even know he'd been capable of anymore. She laughed along with him as they played like children in an overgrown mud puddle, and he regretted that he couldn't hear the melody of her voice.

The sound of horse hooves clipping to an abrupt stop snapped them back to reality and they turned, breathing heavy and clothes soaked and ruined, to find King Tōga sat astride a saddled horse with a look of profound horror and confusion on his face.

"Father? What... what are you..."

The king clicked his jaw shut and cleared his throat.

"When your horses returned to the stables alone I worried something had happened. I came to assure your safety."

Kagome watched all the joy that had just been limning Sesshomaru's entire being bleed out as he straightened back out into his usual stark presence.

"My apologies father, I'm afraid we had an accident with the cart. We will walk home from here."

The king looked them both over with a shrewd eye that made Kagome want to wither away.

"Indeed you will. And Sesshomaru, I'd very much like a word with you, straight after dinner."

Sesshomaru nodded stiffly and the king rode away.

Once on the shore, they realized that Kagome's shoes had been lost to the mud. Unwilling to allow her to walk back on the uneven road with bare feet, Sesshomaru swooped her up into his arms, intent on carrying her.

"Forgive me My Lady, But the road is not suitable to walk with no footwear."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest, heart fluttering at their proximity, but also wilting with sadness.

He'd been so beautifully free just moments ago, and to see him now so locked away from everyone made her ache.

' _Oh Sesshomaru. If only they could see you how I've seen you.'_

They arrived back to the palace in silence, and for the rest of the evening Sesshomaru remained stiff and distant, and Kagome remained silently sad.


	13. Love’s Many Forms

**Chapter 12: Love’s Many Forms**

The evening meal had barely adjourned when Rin had grabbed Kagome's hand and pulled her silently along toward her room.

"Come on pretty lady, I want to read you a story!"

Heartsick from the days steep rise and abrupt fall with a certain quiet prince, Kagome followed along placidly, grateful for a distraction and a little time with the sweet little girl she'd come to care for. She was not surprised to find that Princess Rin's room was very pink. Shelves of books and dolls lined the walls and a small version of the her castle home had been built for her to play with those dolls in. Her little fire place had been lit while they were gone, so the room was warm and cozy, glowing with flickering fire light.

Rin pulled Kagome straight up into the bed.

"Alright pretty lady, we have to read up here, it's the tradition!"

She settled in behind Rin, who scooted up onto her lap and picked up the first book on a small stack the little princess had already prepared.

"I've been practicing how to read, and I want to show you my favorite stories!"

Kagome smiled indulgently and wrapped her arms around her little body, resting her chin on her little head, overcome with affection.

She listened intently, entranced by the human stories she'd never heard. Whether Rin was actually reading them or reciting them from memory she couldn't tell, but she was touched beyond measure that she wanted to share her favorite stories, stories her father had probably read to her over and over.

She quickly turned her thoughts away from that direction and remained focused only on Rin's sweet little voice.

She picked her up and moved her a little forward, running her fingers through her silky black hair, weaving the strands into braids. By the time they made it to the last book in the stack, Rin's eyes began to droop.

"Pretty lady, will you stay here with me tonight?"

Kagome was taken aback for a moment, unsure her nanny or father would want her having an overnight visitor.

"It's alright, I already asked Nanny Kaede. She said if you wanted to stay you could."

She knew Rin's mischievous nature well and was well aware that this could be a set up, but she didn't care. She climbed back up on the bed and let Rin settle against her side.

Rin picked up the first book they read again and opened it.

"Let's read this one again. Daddy gave me this for my last birthday, it's my favorite. He always reads it for bed time."

So Rin read her little tale again and they both drifted off just before the dragon was vanquished.

—-

The castle was dark and quiet, all it's occupants tucked snug into their beds after the evening meal.

All except two.

The King's study was still well lit, all the lamps turned up and the fire roaring.

King Tōga eyed his eldest son silently, leaning forward on his desk and keeping his breathing steady.

He wasn't sure Sesshomaru was breathing though. The boy sat ramrod straight, barely blinking, certainly not moving, wary and embarrassed and probably ready to bolt, but Tōga just didn't know how to approach the subject that desperately needed approaching.

"Sesshomaru..."

"Yes Father?"

The king sighed and sat back, crossing his arms and taking a few more seconds to observe. Sesshomaru was giving nothing away. He would wait in that chair forever he was sure.

"Son... are you ill?"

A minute twitch of his brow told the king that that hadn't been the right ice breaker.

"Ill?"

"You are not acting like yourself."

A bare tilt of a head, a scant wryness to his expression.

"Am I not all you had me raised to be and more?"

Tōga blinked.

"Well yes, it's just... I was very alarmed by your behavior today, Sesshomaru. The way you carried on with that girl-"

"Woman."

"What?" Tōga asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"She is a woman. Not a _girl."_

"Oh. Um, alright, woman then. The way you carried on with that woman today... it's not like you to be so... so..."

"Free?"

Tōga halted, shocked by what he _might_ have interpreted as sadness in his son's gaze if he didn't know better.

"That's not exactly how I would describe it, but sure. Free. Sesshomaru, it is not uncommon for those in our station to take a mistress, but you _must_ be more discreet, especially as-"

Sesshomaru felt anger bubbling up inside him, screwing his face into a scowl. His ears rang with it, drowning out the rest of his father's words.

" _Mistress_?"

Tōga halted and eyed Sesshomaru again, once more unsure what to make of his son's behavior.

"Yes. Mistress. It's clear you feel something for that girl. That's fine. But until I secure another marriage for you, you must be more discreet, you can't-"

Sesshomaru stood abruptly, the chair he'd been sitting in scraping across the floor.

"You think me so dishonorable as to-"

"Woah now son," Tōga followed him up, hands raised to placate him. "There would be nothing dishonorable about it. It's _common_ for those in our station. We often enter loveless marriages for the good of our kingdoms, but it does not mean we can't have some happiness. In fact, Izayoi was _my_ mistress before she was my wife. It's perfectly-"

Sesshomaru was sure the room was spinning. He focused only on the flickering lamp light, grasping for a sense of calm.

"Izayoi..."

Growing impatient with interruptions but set on getting his son to see reason, Tōga gave Sesshomaru more of the truth than he'd intended at first.

"Yes. She was one of your mother's handmaids. After her death and my mourning period were done I simply made her my wife."

"I don't remember Izayoi before you married her. I don't remember seeing her."

"That's because I was _discreet_. As you need to be."

"She is not my mistress."

Tōga sighed, moving to stand in front of his son and placing his hands on his shoulders to get his attention. When Sesshomaru looked up, the distress in his eyes left Tōga feeing shaken. He'd never seen his son this way. He was always so solid.

_'Do I not know you as well as I thought my boy_?'

He smiled sadly, hoping to salvage some of this night before sending his son off to bed.

"Well she could be. If you wanted her, you could have her. But you must be very very careful until your next marriage is sealed. No woman wants to enter such an arrangement with a man so obviously besotted by someone else."

Unwilling to hear anymore, unable to handle another second, Sesshomaru took several slow, measured steps back from his father.

"If that's all Father, I will take my leave of you."

Toga nodded and watched him go, heart heavy and mind troubled.

' _What's happening to you, my son_?'

—-

Sesshomaru paused outside his daughter's door and took a deep, cleansing breath.

He'd missed her bedtime, which was something he rarely allowed to happen. He would go in just to tuck her in, as she should be well into dreamland at this hour, but he needed to see her, kiss her beloved little face, remind himself of the eternal good he had in her when it seemed like everything else in his life was meant to stay stark, when everything he did was for a kingdom he never asked for and never just for himself.

He quietly opened her door and stopped cold.

She wasn't alone.

She was curled into the side of Lady Silence who'd wrapped her arms around her in a snug, protective embrace.

His eyes roved over her hungrily, taking in every inch of her, as if it would be his very last opportunity to do so.

Her beautiful features were soft in sleep, and Rin looked so peaceful and content snuggled up to her.

He fought against the desire to curl up with them, pushed back the invasive idea that that's what _families_ did, it would only be natural.

_"If you wanted her, you could have her_."

He did want her. With every beat of his heart he wanted her.

".. _.it is not uncommon for those in our station to take a mistress..."_

He closed his eyes and sighed, his heart breaking, his soul twisting.

He wanted her.

' _But even if I could dishonor myself in such a way, I could never dishonor her like this.'_

He backed out of the room and closed the door on his daughter, on his heart, on his happiness.

' _Because she deserves more than shameful secrecy_.'

He grew cold with hopeless despair, forcing one foot in front of another down the hall toward his own room, forcing himself away from warmth and belonging and home.

_'Because I love her_.'


	14. Turning Point

**Chapter 13: Turning Point**

Rushed preparations for Inuyasha's engagement ball had left the air in the castle frenzied and chaotic, making everyone tense and short tempered. But Inuyasha was firm- he would not push his impending nuptials back, he and Kikyō would be married within the week and not a moment later.

The whole affair, engagement ball and wedding ship arrangements, had taken a record three days, and they were all feeling the strain.

Kagome not the least of all.

To watch the clock of her time here roll forward so fast left her reeling, and the fact that everyone was kept so busy that she was largely left alone didn't help. Sebastian had pleaded with her to let him go tell her father everything but she had steadfastly refused. She knew he must be worried sick and the guilt of that twisted like a knife. She would not drag him into this mess she'd made for herself. She would slip quietly away on her own and meet the fate she'd bought for herself with her head high.

She picked around some more on her breakfast plate. She had no room around the guilt, fear and sadness for an appetite, and her mouth was dry in any case with the presence of the prince haunting her dreams and thoughts these last days finally in the same room as her.

Sesshomaru was sitting across from her as he usually did at mealtimes. She hadn't really seen him since their trip into town, as the next day had thrown them right into wedding planning overdrive and he had many duties to attend to. This was to be the last meal taken in here before the engagement ball tonight, and then the next day would bring the departure of the wedding ship which would not dock again until late that night.

This could very well be the last time she really got to be near him, and she wished desperately that she could talk with him quietly, sit closer, whisk him and Rin away and spend her last free hours alone with them.

But something was wrong.

He sat straight and rigid, eating slowly, delicately, not looking up from his plate for even a moment. Something was bothering him and she ached to take it away.

But what good could she do if she couldn't even speak?

"Sesshomaru, I have good news."

King Toga's voice broke the heavy, suffocating silence, and no one missed the way Sesshomaru flinched when his father called his name. He closed his eyes and breathed in a deep, silent breath.

"Yes father?"

"I believe I may have arranged a good match for you. You'll meet her at the ball tonight."

Sesshomaru dropped his silverware on his plate, a harsh, metallic clatter echoing in the silent dining room. His chest was heavy and it felt like he was trying to breath underwater.

He got his father's message loud and clear:

' _Remember your obligations. There is no escaping them.'_

He opened his eyes and looked up into the startled blue gaze of the one woman he had never hoped to find, one who accepted him, understood him, made him feel like something other than a future king in a fishbowl, the one woman he could never have.

The desperation swirling bright in his golden eyes stabbed at Kagome's already raw heart. She wasn't stupid, she knew what the King was hinting at.

Sesshomaru would be getting engaged next, to someone he hadn't even met yet.

And he didn't want it.

Her heart flip flopped, breaking for him, for herself, silently calling out to him; she prayed he would hear it.

He closed his eyes again and stood. A blank mask of indifference settled on his face.

He bowed slightly and addressed the table.

"Please excuse me."

He turned and walked out with a slow, elegant stride.

With each step two hearts cracked and splintered. The thorns of hopelessness grew through the cracks and the chill of despair froze their souls.

—-

Kagome took a deep breath.

' _Well, at least this awful corset wasn't laced so damn tight this time. I will never understand human clothing.'_

She looked herself over in her mirror, not feeling up to admiring her dress or hair this time.

' _What a shame, as it's one of the last I'll be able to wear ever.'_

She grabbed her fan from the side table and made the walk from her room to the ballroom, taking her time, cataloguing little details like the color of the drapes or how many angels had been painted in that one painting just down the hall, how how many tassels lined the edges of the big, soft rug before the stairs. Inconsequential things that seemed so big and important when you wouldn't see them again.

She slipped into the gathered crowd and took everything in. It really was beautiful. Everything was lush and rich; huge displays of crimson roses with velvety petals, glittering crystals, more flickering candles and lamps than she could ever possibly count, and twice as many people eating and drinking and merrymaking as the eligibility ball.

It was spectacular, and though she was in the middle of it all, she may as well be watching through a fogged window.

Soon enough, the music changed pace and the dance floor cleared, she backed up with the crowd, standing at the edge of the open circle, waiting for the happy couple to dance.

Inuyasha noticed no one but his bride as they moved across the floor and the crowd found it hard to look away from what a handsome pair they made, but Kagome's attention was taken by another prince.

In the brief rundown she'd been given of the night, she knew that both brothers would open the nights dancing by sharing the first dance together, Inuyasha with his fiancé, and Sesshomaru with a special chosen one since he was unattached. She wondered who he would choose, wondered if it would be the woman his father was arranging for him to meet, but he made his way straight for her and her breath caught in her throat at the determination in his eyes.

He stood before her, his large hand closing around hers and the warmth was the only thing anchoring her to the floor.

"May I have this dance, My Lady?"

Dazed and breathless she nodded, and then he pulled her in close and led her through a swirling, sweeping dance that allowed for very little room between them. Their eyes stayed linked, speaking silently of things neither could voice for different reasons. A heaviness wrapped around them, protecting them from anything beyond their finger tips. The whole of the world melted away around them, and Kagome could scarcely breath around the burning intensity in his gaze. The music thrummed rich and passionate, and Sesshomaru turned them expertly, never breaking eye contact, leaning down closer to her, breathing in her presence and lingering every touch as long as possible.

For this pocket of existence she was his, he was hers; they would etch this on their souls. He would never forget the way she look at him, she would never forget the feel of him around her.

"I must admit I am regretful that your maid did not over-lace your corset again."

Her brow furrowed slightly, trying to make his words make sense through the thick fuzz in her head. He stared even deeper into her eyes, leaned even closer, unwilling to share his words with any but her.

"I want for _any_ reason to steal you away again for myself."

His words tingled down her spine, making her shiver and press closer.

They had stopped dancing- _when_ _had_ _they_ _stopped_?- and the music had wound down and shifted again to something brighter, but he did not release her, and she did not break away.

His gaze fell to her lips and her eyes fluttered as he slowly began closing the small distance between them. She felt his breath on her face and it stopped her own. Her lashes pressed against her cheeks and she surrendered to him completely, awaited his kiss, his touch.

"Sesshomaru."

The King's stern voice was ice. In her veins, in her heart, the sharp, frozen edges of disappointment sliced her open. Sesshomaru stood up straight again but he did not pull away. He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, never taking his eyes off of her. She gulped, cheeks ablaze and heart stuttering, the soft warmth in his molten eyes consuming her.

He stepped away and turned toward his father. She sucked in a breath and opened her fan to hide her red face. She caught his backward glance and returned his soft smile with all of her heart, not tearing her eyes away until he turned to speak with his father. Quickly she disappeared into the crowd, made her way to the garden, and cried silently to the stars.


	15. Death Knell

**Chapter 14: Death Knell**

The final hours leading up to the departure of Inuyasha's wedding ship were eerily still and quiet. After the mayhem of the last several days and the extended celebration at the engagement ball the night before, the calm seemed fraught with all manner of possibilities. Everyone was on edge as something built and swelled. Most everyone carried on, assuming pre-wedding jitters were getting the best of more than just the bride and groom, especially with how rushed all of the planning had been, but Sesshomaru couldn’t quiet his own anxiety with so simple an explanation.

Something was wrong.

He checked in on Rin who was playing happily in a warm bath as she was readied for her uncle's wedding. She was little more than a cherub face poking out of a mound of bubbles as she giggled at him, and his face softened for the first time all morning. He was pleased that she was so far unaffected, and aimed to keep her as safe and oblivious as possible.

"Nanny Kaede, please do not allow Rin to roam freely today. I would have her out of the way until ship's departure this afternoon."

"Aye your Highness, as you wish."

"Be a good girl Rin, and I will see you in a few hours. Don't do anything to mess up your new dress."

She happily agreed and he set off to find the one face he'd yet to see that day, and the one some nameless instinct was pushing him to find.

Lady Silence had been nowhere to be found since their dance the previous evening, and though he knew it would be best to leave her be and begin the process of letting her go, he could not shake the desire to find her, to see her, to be in her presence.

When he couldn’t find her in any of her usual spots, he cornered a servant and did his best to discreetly enquire about her.

"Have you seen our silent guest at all this morning? Carlotta is looking for her."

"Yes your Highness, she left just two hours ago. She used the side door off the kitchen that opens to the shore. Shall I go and fetch her?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Carry on with your duties."

The kitchen maid bowed and went back to baking bread for the wedding feast, and Sesshomaru slipped out of the castle as covertly as possible and made his way to the shore.

Luck was on his side, it would seem. A trail of footprints pressed into the wet sand led right from the door and he followed them, keeping a shrewd eye open for his target and anyone else who might try to intercept him, namely his father.

He followed the footprints for some time and they curved along the sand right at the edge where the water crested ashore. He thanked whatever silent watcher was on his side that she hadn't walked _in_ the water instead, or that the tide was not higher, and that this trail had been preserved.

He was coming upon a little alcove surrounded by large stones and he wanted to pick up the pace and run to her, but he heard voices that stopped him short.

A small group of urgent, feminine voices spoke in hushed but hurried tones. He pressed close behind one of the stones to stay out of sight, but listened intently.

"Please Kagome, you _must_ take it. It's the only way!"

"If you don't, we'll be forced to tell father. We won't let you do this!"

"Please see reason Kagome. You could come back with us, you don't have to die!"

Sesshomaru's heart stopped cold and dread filled his bones. Why would she have to die?

He watched her run off back toward the castle, tears in her eyes obscuring her vision and leaving him unseen. He hurried around the boulder to take her place and he was greeted by fearful gasps. Three women- no, _mermaids_!- sat huddled together on the shore. Their hair was shorn off close to their scalps, drying in all directions and colors, but their eyes were the same crystalline blue as his silent woman. The one in the center held a jeweled dagger with a black blade close to her chest in a white knuckled grasp.

"You know her."

They glanced at each other, hesitating, and then the one in the center of the huddle swallowed down her fear and clutched the dagger tighter, nodding once with brave determination.

"We are her sisters."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to run after her- ' _Kagome... her name is Kagome_...'- and sat down on the sand in front of her sisters. They watched him warily but he squared his shoulders and looked them each in the eye.

"Tell me everything."

—

He pushed himself as hard and fast as he could go, but the sand slowed him down and tried to trip him up. He burst through the side door and ran through the castle, heedless of the many pairs of eyes goggling at him and his very out of character behavior.

But he had to find her, he had to find _Kagome_. According to her sisters, he could save her life this minute, no murder of married princes ***** necessary.

His heart sped up as the rest of the information they had shared began integrating in his mind.

' _She's a princess. A princess_!'

The minute he found her, he would kiss her senseless and break her curse, and when her safety was secured, he would make her his in all ways. His father would have no valid objections, for what could be better than an alliance with the _ocean_?

"Sesshomaru."

He slid to a stop and looked around impatiently for his father, in no mood to deal with any more kingly nonsense.

"What?"

"Where are you going son, and in such a state?"

He frowned and backed away, ready to bolt up the stairs and right to her room.

"I don't have time for this, I've got to find-"

His father clamped a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place.

"I know who you've got to find, but she's getting dressed. The wedding ship departs in an hour. Go get yourself ready."

His breath came in ragged pants, but as his heart rate settled, so did his raging, swirling thoughts. He had until morning to get to her, and they would be on a small ship for most of the night. He would get dressed and board and find her after the ceremony.

He nodded distractedly and his father eased his grip.

"Very good my boy. And remember Sesshomaru, _discretion_ is your top priority if you're to keep this precarious situation from falling apart, do you understand son?"

He wondered for a moment how much his father knew before he remembered their conversation of a few nights prior.

He scowled and the shock on his father's face was almost satisfying. He yanked away and walked to his room at a much more sedate pace.

—-

The reception was drawing to a close and Sesshomaru had seen only brief glimpses of Kagome since the wedding ship had set sail. The sun had set long ago and the night was quickly spinning into a new day.

Inuyasha and Kikyo had long retired for the night when the boat finally docked, and Sesshomaru rushed to be the first off so he could watch every departing face for the one he'd been desperate to see all night.

When she didn't get off with the rest of the crowd, he searched the ship top to bottom, quietly calling her name, hoping to draw her out.

It was his third sweep of the deck that he noticed one of the emergency row boats missing and his heart fell.

Making quick work of releasing one of the spares, Sesshomaru hopped aboard and rowed with all of his might out to sea under an ever lightening sky.

—

It was dark. So dark. And cold.

Kagome gripped the edge of her row boat with white, icy fingers and watched the horizon intently for any signs of dawn.

This was it. After weeks of living her dreams of humanity, it was time to return to the sea and give up her soul.

The wedding had been one of the most beautiful things she'd seen in her life, but she'd felt so distant and removed from it all. The food and cake had tasted like sand in her mouth and she'd spent all of her time ducking away from Sesshomaru's searching gaze.

Saying goodbye to him would have been impossible, and if she'd spent anymore time with him she would have broken completely. The only way to carry out what she had to do with her dignity was to try and avoid him as much as possible.

She said a quick, sincere prayer that this next marriage his father was arranging for him would bring him some measure of happiness, and another for Inuyasha and Kikyo to have many wonderful years together, and finally that little Rin would know how much she'd loved her, and then she determined to push them all from her thoughts if not from her heart, and steel herself for her coming doom.

She could feel the dark magic of Naraku twisting around her, pulling at her, coaxing her forward, but she resisted. She would not give in until she absolutely had to, would defiantly take every last second she could take for herself before she was ripped from both human and mermaid form and forced to live in a purple fog of misery with a thousand other unfortunate souls.

The first rays of dawn broke over the horizon and her entire soul froze with a fear so profound she thought she could drown right there in the boat. The magic tightened its grip on her and she stood against her will.

It was time.

She breathed in.

She exhaled.

She stepped off the boat and fell into the dark, still water.

She could feel the evil satisfaction of Naraku as her time rolled down to zero, and she closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate.

A strong pair of hands grasped her firmly under the arms and hauled her bodily out of the water. She was plunked down on another row boat identical to the one she'd just abandoned, and then those hands grasped her face and a warm mouth closed firm, desperate, frantic over hers.

Immediately the Magics tightening around her fell away and she felt lighter than she had in all her life.

Tears streamed down her face and her eyes fluttered open to meet the most beloved set of golden eyes in all the world.

" _Kagome_." He whispered with reverence and she choked out a silent sob to hear him finally say her _name_.

He kissed her again and again, wiping her tears with his thumbs, smiling widely, radiantly, glowing with victory. The sun continued its track across the morning sky and it was clear that he'd made it, just in time.

"It worked. _Kagome_ it worked."

He wrapped her in his arms, and she sobbed into his chest, relief and love and happiness chasing away all the darkness that had built inside her.

"I love you. Kagome, Kagome, Kagome... _I love you._ "

She nodded, desperate to say it back, only able to press into him further and hope he understood.

He pulled away and cradled her beautiful, beloved face, her blue eyes glowing with tears, and he smiled again. She made him so free, and now he wouldn't lose her, wouldn't have to give her up or love her in secret.

"I know you came here for him, but will you stay for me?"

More tears-would she cry forever?- but she nodded her wholehearted acceptance and his eyes widened and flared with hope and love.

He tilted her chin up and took her lips once more in a soft, gentle, hopeful kiss that deepened into something rich and untamed. She tasted of the salt of her tears, the salt of the sea, a sweetness he would never willingly live without again, and Kagome clutched at his shirt and let him sweep her away.

Suddenly their boat began to wobble under them, breaking them from the spell they'd cast over each other. They looked at the surface of the water and were alarmed to find it bubbling like a boiling cauldron. The feel of Naraku's magic filled the air and Kagome threw herself back into Sesshomaru's arms as fear overtook her again.

He burst up through the surface, face twisted with hate and rage, tentacles wrapping around both of them and ripping them apart.

"You little wretch! Breaking my curse at the 11th hour. Did you really think I'd just let you go?!"

Sesshomaru fought against the tight hold of the tentacles wrapped around his arms and legs, squirming to free himself.

"Let her go!"

"Not a chance loverboy. I've got bigger fish to fry with this little piece of bait."

And then he was dropped soundly back into the little rowboat, helpless to do anything but watch his beloved be dragged to the bottom of the sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * in the original tale as written by Hans Christian Andersen, the Little Mermaid's sisters try to help her come back home by selling their hair to the sea witch for a dagger that the Little Mermaid can use to kill the prince after his wedding night. She would drip his blood on her legs, and her fins would return and she could go back home and live out the rest of her mermaid lifespan of 300 years. She couldn't bring herself to do it, so instead she succumbed to her curse and threw herself into the sea and dissolved into sea foam. She's then taken up by spirits and given the opportunity to earn a human soul by doing good deeds for 300 years.


	16. Death Cure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to those who’ve read, left kudos and reviewed! You rock!

**Chapter 15: Death Cure**

In a blur of magic and bubbles, speed bolstered by the power of his trident, King Triton raced through the sea at an unnatural pace. When his daughters had burst into his room frantic and panicked and told him every last detail they'd learned about the whereabouts of their youngest sister his broken heart had completely stopped beating and then twisted in fear. 

Guilt drove itself deeper and gnawed at him, taunting him that his actions had pushed her to such drastic measures to get away from him, that she may lose her soul because of him. 

But elation that he could very well save her and bring her home safely pushed him back out of his castle and up toward the surface where Naraku was sure to be collecting his beloved daughter to exact his payment for his curse.

By some miracle of Poseidon he intercepted them right as Naraku plunged back below the water's surface, Kagome bound tightly in his tentacles.

"Naraku _stop!_ "

Naraku halted and his hellish red eyes flashed with triumph.

"Why, King Triton. How are you?"

"Let. Her. Go."

Kagome squirmed, trying to fight his hold and return to her father's side, but Naraku had withdrawn his magic from her completely. she no longer had the advantage of two strong legs to flail with, and she was rusty with her tail.

Naraku tightened his tentacles and she winced in pain.

"Oh Triton, you always were so rude, so controlling. I'll tell you what, how about a trade? You give me your trident, and I'll spare your beloved little spoiled brat her fate in my miasma. What do you say?"

A metallic flash drew a gasp from Naraku's throat and a cloud of black blood from his shoulder. Kagome twisted around, spotting Sesshomaru floating several yards back and readying another dagger. It flew through the water, but was knocked off course by a burst of Naraku's magic.

"After him!" He ordered his eels with a hiss, and Sesshomaru was chased back toward the surface by the need for oxygen and safety.

"Alright, enough funny business. Triton, the fork or you daughter, which is it?!"

Kagome pled silently, shaking her head, desperate to keep her consequences away from her family, but Triton's gaze was kept resolutely on Naraku.

With no pause to consider, no moment of hesitancy, Triton decided. He would give up his power, his kingdom, his very soul to save her. He would do the same for any of his daughters.

"Alright. The trident for Kagome, I accept your trade."

She was tossed aside the minute the gleaming metal touched Naraku's hand, and then the shell vial holding her voice was yanked from around his neck.

With a tightly closed fist, he crushed the shell and a glowing voice orb settled itself back into Kagome's throat.

"I want to hear your screams when I destroy everything you love." His voice was laced with sharp, cruel satisfaction. Panic, shame, and horror filled her, and her tears were wiped away by the sea.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry," she sobbed, so broken and regretful that things had gone so wrong. She'd never meant for him to be tangled up in this no matter how angry she'd been when she left. Before he can reply, Naraku seized his form, trapping him in a swirl of miasma and laughing maniacally at his success.

"Yes. I've done it. It's mine!"

The trident glowed, power swirling around it and its wielder, and Naraku's form swelled in size as the sea and sky churned dark and heavy.

Storm clouds gathered, lightening flashed, people woke from sleep and fled their homes in terror.

In the hollow of Kagome's neck, A point of heat flared. It intensified, growing rapidly hotter and burning her skin. She clutched it, yanking it away from her skin, startled to find the small shell pendant that she'd worn since Sesshomaru had clasped it there glowing bright and insistent.

'... _protection against strange magicks. Something I think you'd know much about girl.'_ She gasped, memory of that strange woman coming back like a shock, and her fingers closed tightly over the necklace cord, wary of the burning metal amulet.

Somehow, Ursula must have known, or sensed, or suspected, Kagome can't know for sure, but she knows it's irrelevant to what she must do. Her grip on the cord tightens and she races for the surface.

Once the air hit her lungs once more she scanned the horizon, spotting Sesshomaru once again aboard his row boat. His face was screwed up in a look of angry determination as he pushed the oars through the water toward the docks. Dunking back under, Kagome set her own sights on the docks, determined to meet him there, relieved to find that she's arrived just moments after he's hopped out of his boat.

"Sesshomaru!"

He slid to a stop and whipped his head around wildly, stopping stunned at the sight of her.

"Kagome? What...You can speak? He let you go?"

"Here!" With all of her strength she tossed the necklace and he caught it easily, juggling it back and forth as it burned his hands. He frowned in confusion to find it glowing.

"What..."

"Use it, it will help you."

A large tentacle wrapped tightly around her waist, but her fingers gripped the edge of the dock and Sesshomaru kneeled, clasping her hands, searching her eyes.

"Sesshomaru." Her voice was broken with fear and love, but she swallowed it down resolutely. "I love you too."

Wide eyed he gripped her shoulders, attempting to pull against Naraku's hold, but her voice, her sweet, beloved voice stilled him.

"You have to let me go."

"No. He cannot have you. I will not let him have you!"

She kissed his fingers were they held hers, felt tears stream down her cheeks, and smiled serenely, wrapping herself in faith and confidence in him.

"I have to get closer. I have to get the trident, I can't risk anyone else getting it from him. But I trust you. I'll see you soon."

He searched her face for one second more before allowing her to be dragged away despite every beat of of his heart protesting. He glanced back and the now giant Naraku whipping up the sea into a dangerous cyclone.

He straightened his shoulders, firmed his resolve. She loved him, she _trusted_ him. He would get her back. He would _not_ fail her.

He ran up the dock and hopped aboard one of the smaller, faster, but better stocked fishing ships and set off, steering straight for the huge target threatening not only the woman he loved but everything else he held dear as well. He found an old whaling spear that he was sure hadn't been used in at least several decades. He wasn't even sure why it was still here, as they hadn't hunted whales since well before he was born, but he thanked his lucky stars anyway, wrapped the little glowing amulet around the spear head and then quickly, snuggly tied the spear to the bowsprit. He took his place back behind the helm and steered the ship expertly through the rough waters around Naraku. His brother may be the one who spent most of his time out at sea, but Sesshomaru had been taught everything Inuyasha knew as well. It was something his father had insisted on, his sons knowing the ins and outs of the trades that kept their kingdom running. They'd both taken to sailing easily, and he was as confident a sailor as Inuyasha was, and though these supernatural waves surpassed even the worst hurricane he'd seen, he would not be deterred. This was his place after all, this was his kingdom. He would not only rescue his "lady fair," but his home and family as well. With dark determination he pushed his ship ever onward, soaked to the bone as wave after wave tried to capsize him, swallow him up and spit him out; but he would not be stopped. He caught sight of Kagome being dangled by one of those tentacles, heard her scream, and a fierce anger strengthened his resolve even further.

Naraku was blessedly distracted with cackling out his victory, so assured in his safety at the center of his spiraling storm that when the amulet enhanced spear struck him he screamed in shock and rage as much as pain. The amulet's magic made quick work of bringing Naraku back to size, and, as one of Triton's descendants, Kagome was easily able to wield the trident and turn the rest of him to ash as she fell back into the sea.

One last swooping wave finally got the best of his boat, and Sesshomaru lost consciousness as he, too, fell away from the surface.

* * *

He woke and jerked to the side, hacking up a lungful of water and choking on his next breath. He rolled back over and squinted open his eyes. The sun was high in the sky, and the form leaning over him was silhouetted in shadow.

"Sesshomaru, you're alright!" A voice broke on a sob and tears landed on his face.

He knew that voice. He'd heard it only once but that was enough to sear it into his memory for all time. He sat up abruptly, clutching his head as dizziness gripped him for several moments. But then he turned to ensure that it was really her, that she was really alright.

She sat on the sand like any other person might, but she no longer wore her dress she'd worn to the wedding. Instead, her long, thick hair covered her bare chest, and a tail of pink scales wrapped around her where her legs used to be. He took her in, the _true_ her, with awe. He met her eyes that shined with tears of relief and uncertainty and leaned forward to wrap her in his arms.

"Kagome, you're safe. You're so beautiful."

He pulled her over into his lap and she burried her face in his neck. He made quick work of unbuttoning his tattered shirt, pulled his arms free of the sleeves and wrapped it around her shoulders to offer her a little more cover and then looked up at their approaching company.

With the impeccable timing of any king, his father marched down the sand with Inuyasha to find him and make sure he was safe, but they stopped at the sight of him damp, shirtless and disheveled with a mermaid clinging to him.

"Sesshomaru?! What... what is the meaning of this?"

Kagome sat up and revealed herself. King Tōga's jaw dropped and Inuyasha cursed in disbelief.

"What the _hell?_!"

"Your majesty, my name is Kagome. I am the seventh daughter of King Triton of Atlantica, and I'm so sorry to have taken advantage of your hospitality for so long under such false pretense."

He gawped at her, mouth hanging open and eyes wide. Sesshomaru tightened his hold on her, a stern, possessive frown on his face.

" _Ahem_."

They all turned to the previously ignored member of their party, a stately merman suspended out of the water by a magic wave.

"This is my father, King Triton, ruler of our kingdom Atlantica and all Seven Seas."

Tōga finally clicked his jaw shut and found the manners to bow forward in the proper greeting for a monarch of equal station. Triton nodded back and watched them all with a wary sternness.

"Well father," Sesshomaru began, no longer willing to tiptoe around the fragility of royal egos,"do what you have to do, arrange whatever it is you have to arrange and get it over with. Kagome is mine. I _will_ marry her, and now that you know she's the daughter of a king, there's nothing you can say anymore to deny me."

Tōga blinked, unsure how to respond. His son had _never_ spoken to him this way, but he was right in any case. An alliance like this trumped anything he'd been able to scrape up, he'd be a damn fool to try and deny it.

Kagome sighed a soft, forlorn sigh and at once all of Sesshomaru's attention was on her.

"I'm afraid I don't think this is going to work. Naraku's magic is what made me human, and now that he's gone, all of his magic has gone with him. I... I can't live on land like this."

Triton watched his daughter with a sad resignation. It was clear to him that she'd given her heart to this human prince and she'd won his heart in return. And though his own heart broke at the thought, he knew he had to release her. She'd never been happy under the sea with him and her sisters, her heart had always belonged to the land. As soon as he'd found her, he would lose her again. But if he did it right this time, he wouldn't lose her forever, wouldn't suffer her severing their connection completely. It was enough, and the knowledge that she would be happy at last was his final push.

"Kagome, if you're sure that returning home with me is not what you want... then I can give you back the humanity you so desire."

Her eyes lit up, and he knew her answer before she even spoke it. She closed her eyes, tears tracking down her face, overcome with relief and love and happiness. The lightness of staring down death and coming out the other side with all of her dreams making her feel like she might fly away, but _walking_ was more than enough.

"Yes... yes this is what I want."

He placed his trident in the sand and as it glowed a stretch of water flowed over to her, caught her up, and pulled her to his side. It swirled around her tail and in a much less painful display of power, split it into two and gave her back her legs. With one last magical surge, the water washed over her entire form and left her standing on the shore clothed in an ethereal sea foam dress. Triton wrapped his arms around his youngest child, now grown into a remarkable woman, and she embraced him back with all the love in her heart. "Thank you. Thank you thank you. I love you daddy." They let each other go and she dashed back to Sesshomaru's side.

"Well my boy, what about you?” King Tōga asked. “This is certainly a more advantageous match than I could have ever dreamed up. Are you certain this is what you want?"

"No father." Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and pressed her close, expression firm and eyes more open and full than he'd ever seen. " _She_ is what I want. _This_ is what _you_ want."

He smiled uncomfortably and took in the sight of his son wrapped so tightly around the strange silent woman, who was apparently a mermaid princess with a voice after all, and he truly felt glad. He was pleased his son had found that love he'd wanted, and that it would be a love he could rest in honestly instead of secretly while living a facade.

He sighed and looked over to the mermaid king, smiling wryly at just how immensely strange this whole day had been and it had barely started.

"Well, I guess you and I have much to speak about."

King Triton chuckled and looked fondly at his daughter once more, taking great pleasure in her sweet look of peace and contentment. He smiled indulgently and let most of his sadness at the loss of her go.

"Yes, I suppose we do."

* * *

The marriage of the land and sea was a magical affair that almost no one had been willing to miss. Almost as shocking as the presence of Merfolk was the transformation of the prince who had always carried a reputation for being cold and aloof. The soft way he looked at his bride, his tender care of his child, the warmth in his eyes took all present who'd come from the land by surprise and public opinion soon shifted more to his favor.

But Sesshomaru had long stopped caring about public opinion. Instead he focused solely on his new wife and how radiant she looked introducing Rin to a crab, fish and seagull she'd claimed were her best friends.

He didn't care how strange it was, he accepted it and all of her as she'd accepted all of him. Rin squealed in delight as King Triton, who she called Papa Fish to his eternal delight, boosted a gaggle of mermaids up with his trident magic to coo and fawn over their new niece, and Kagome returned to his side while they watched them entertain their tiny princess.

He tilted her chin up and their eyes met with all the love and happiness they had for each other, and then he kissed her and allowed the world to melt away.

Their union was prosperous, and in time, so was their reign. They had many children, surrounding Rin in the siblings and playmates she'd always wanted, and they delighted in each and every one of them. And just like so many stories they'd heard and told before, the Human King and Mermaid Queen lived _Happily Ever After_.

**The End**


End file.
